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NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (WFLA) — Pasco County park rangers spotted an exciting sight while on the job last weekend: a rare black coyote.
The canines are native to North America and can be seen in counties and cities across Florida, but black coyotes, also called melanistic coyotes, are much less common.
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According to the Wolf Conservation Center, individuals with darker coats came about when coyote populations began expanding east and interbreeding with red wolves, which carry the melanism trait.
They’re more common among coyote populations in the Southeast U.S. and prefer warmer regions with dense vegetation and more shade.
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The black coyote spotted last weekend was found in Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, in New Port Richey. It was photographed by rangers Stephanie Taylor and Darren Maio, a representative from Pasco County said…