Coyotes, highly adaptable canids, are a familiar sight across North America, ranging from Canada and Alaska down to Panama. Known for their distinctive yips and howls, they have successfully expanded their territories into diverse environments, from wilderness to urban centers. Coyotes exhibit a capacity to adjust their behaviors and diets to suit available resources, making them widespread inhabitants of many ecosystems.
Population and Distribution in Florida
Coyotes have established a significant presence throughout Florida, documented in all 67 counties. While exact population figures are challenging to determine for such an elusive species, estimates suggest a range of 13,000 to 70,000 coyotes across Florida, based on densities of 0.2 to 1.2 coyotes per square mile. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) acknowledges the difficulty in providing a precise statewide count, though they note a doubling of public reports of sightings in recent years.
The expansion of coyotes into Florida primarily resulted from natural range expansion from western states, beginning in the Panhandle around the 1970s. This eastward movement was facilitated by the reduction of wolf populations, which opened new territories. Although some early releases by private citizens occurred, their widespread establishment is largely due to natural spread. Coyotes have integrated into Florida’s diverse habitats, including rural, suburban, and urban areas.
Ecological Role of Coyotes
Coyotes function as opportunistic omnivores within Florida’s ecosystems, consuming a wide variety of food sources. Their diet includes small mammals, deer fawns, insects, birds, eggs, plant materials like berries, and carrion. This diverse diet means coyotes are unlikely to significantly impact the population of any single prey species.
Coyotes often fill the role of a mesopredator, or middle-level predator, in the absence of larger carnivores like the red wolf, which was extirpated from the region. Their presence can have both positive and negative effects on native wildlife. Coyotes help control rodent populations and can reduce other nest predators, potentially benefiting ground-nesting birds. They also prey on non-native species like feral cats and hogs. However, coyotes can also prey on ground-nesting birds, sea turtle eggs, and domestic livestock.
Coexisting with Coyotes
Given their widespread presence, minimizing conflicts with coyotes involves adopting practical strategies to reduce their attraction to human-populated areas. Avoid feeding coyotes, whether intentionally or unintentionally, as it can cause them to lose their natural fear of humans and become habituated. Secure all garbage in animal-proof containers and clean up any fallen fruit or pet food left outdoors. Removing these readily available food sources helps deter coyotes from frequenting residential properties.
Protecting pets is a primary concern. Keep cats indoors to significantly reduce their risk of predation. When walking small dogs, especially during dusk, dawn, or nighttime hours when coyotes are most active, keep them on a short leash. For yards, fences should be at least six to eight feet high and extend one to two feet underground to prevent coyotes from climbing over or digging under.
If a coyote approaches, practicing hazing techniques can help reinforce their natural wariness of humans. These techniques include:
- Making yourself appear larger
- Waving your arms
- Making loud noises (yelling, using an air horn, or banging pots and pans)
- Throwing small objects towards, but not at, the coyote
- Spraying it with a hose
Avoid running from a coyote, as this might trigger a chase response; instead, stand tall and back away slowly. Unprovoked attacks on humans are very rare, with most incidents involving minor bites occurring when people try to intervene in an attack on their pet. If a coyote exhibits aggressive behavior or a lack of fear towards humans, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.