Coyotes, once confined largely to the Great Plains and Southwest, are showing up in more urban areas, such as Central Park in New York City. At least 20 coyotes now roam the city, including two — named Romeo and Juliet — who arrived in 2019 and 2023. The spread of coyotes in NYC shows how wild animals are adapting to cityscapes.
What’s happening?
These animals are believed to have migrated east over time, driven by factors including fewer natural predators, according to The Guardian. Photographer and naturalist Chris St. Lawrence and other photographers tracked them to help city residents understand and coexist peacefully with the coyotes.
“We think it’s important that people are aware that there are Central Park coyotes and to understand how sensitive they are and know that there is no reason to fear them,” said David Lei, a Manhattan resident and photographer.
Why is peaceful coexistence important?
Though it’s important to allow urban coyotes to share in a healthy environment, their increasing presence raises concerns about wildlife-human interactions. A study on San Francisco coyotes found that 73.8% of collected scat samples included small mammals and 78% included human-origin food, such as trash or scraps, which leads to concerns about waste management in cities.
If these animals rely heavily on human food, it may lead to more frequent encounters and conflict that will delay progress toward safer urban ecosystems.
What’s being done about urban coyotes?
In San Francisco, for example, officials have emphasized coexistence strategies rather than relocation. Relocation is illegal under state law and typically ineffective because coyotes often return or respond to disruption with large litters…