Coyote density is 9 times higher in Seattle than in Washington's wildlands
A new study published in Environmental Research: Ecology reveals that coyote density in Seattle is nine times higher than in the state's wildlands. Researchers suggest that urban environments provide abundant food and fewer predators, making cities highly attractive to the species.
Why it matters
Understanding urban wildlife density is crucial for city planning and managing human-wildlife interactions in rapidly expanding metropolitan areas.
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Add as preferred source This coyote was photographed by a game camera in the Union Bay Natural Area in Seattle, Wash., near the University of Washington campus in 2017 during a course on wildlife techniques taught by Laura Prugh, a UW professor of environmental and forest sciences. Credit: University of Washington Once coyotes get a taste for city living, the call of the wild fades to a whisper. Food is abundant and predators are few. Research indicates that coyotes enjoy the benefits of urban areas enough to put up with all the people, and Seattle is no exception.
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