Coyotes are now a documented presence across the entire state of Florida, including the highly urbanized areas of the southern peninsula. Their establishment is a relatively recent phenomenon, representing a natural range expansion that began decades ago. The coyote, or Canis latrans, extended its territory from the western United States eastward, becoming Florida’s largest wild canid. This successful colonization fills the ecological role left vacant by the previously extirpated red wolf. Their arrival is a slow, successful colonization of a new environment, not the result of a sudden event.
The Confirmed Presence and Geographic Spread
Coyotes have successfully expanded their population into all 67 counties of Florida, confirming their presence even in the southernmost regions. Colonization began in the 1960s when they first moved into the northwestern panhandle. The population gradually pushed southward through the peninsula over the next few decades, eventually reaching the lower parts of the state.
The core South Florida counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, now host established coyote populations. Their presence is not limited to isolated preserves; they are frequently documented in suburban and densely developed urban landscapes. Evidence of their presence has been confirmed as far south as the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in Collier County.
This successful expansion is linked to the alteration of the landscape and the historical removal of competing predators. The conversion of dense forests into agricultural lands created a more suitable habitat, mirroring the coyote’s traditional rangeland environment. While they inhabit the fringes of the Everglades, they also thrive in the linear green spaces and parklands woven throughout metropolitan areas. As habitat generalists, they utilize nearly all available environments, from natural preserves to residential neighborhoods.
Behavior and Adaptability in Urban Environments
The coyote’s ability to thrive in South Florida’s built environment stems from its highly adaptable nature, particularly concerning diet and movement patterns. As opportunistic omnivores, they consume whatever is most readily available, including a wide variety of food sources. Their natural diet consists of small prey like rodents, rabbits, and insects, but also includes fruits and plant matter.
In suburban areas, this opportunistic feeding behavior often shifts to include human-related food sources. They frequently scavenge on unsecured garbage, pet food left outdoors, and fallen fruit from residential trees. Coyotes are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, meaning they are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk.
These movement patterns allow them to navigate developed areas with minimal human interaction. They utilize drainage canals, utility easements, and vegetated corridors as travel routes through neighborhoods. Urban coyotes often maintain smaller home ranges compared to their rural counterparts, reflecting the higher concentration of accessible resources. This combination of an adaptable diet and nocturnal movement enables them to coexist successfully near dense human populations.
Living Alongside Coyotes: Safety and Prevention
Coexisting with coyotes requires residents to actively remove potential food sources and maintain the animal’s natural wariness of humans. Securing garbage is a primary preventative measure, involving the use of heavy-duty, latching containers placed out shortly before collection. All pet food and water bowls should be brought inside immediately after use, as coyotes are strongly attracted to these easy meals.
Supervising small pets is important, especially during the coyote’s most active periods—dawn, dusk, and overnight. Cats should be kept indoors, and small dogs should always be walked on a short leash and never left unattended in a yard. For fenced yards, a fence at least six feet high, with a secure base to prevent digging underneath, offers the best protection.
If a coyote is encountered and does not immediately retreat, residents should employ “hazing” to reinforce its fear of people. Hazing involves using deterrents to make the animal uncomfortable and encourage it to leave the area. This can be achieved by yelling, waving your arms to appear larger, using noisemakers like air horns, or spraying water from a hose. Continue hazing until the coyote has completely left the vicinity, preventing it from becoming habituated to human presence.