PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A recent study from the University of Washington revealed that coyote density in Seattle is nine times higher than in the state’s wilderness.
Over the last century, coyotes have colonized every major metro area in North America, UW explained. For example, Chicago is home to about 4,000 coyotes while Los Angeles sees seven times higher coyote density compared to California’s wild areas.
“We observed a ninefold increase in coyote density in Seattle compared to more natural and wild areas of the state,” said the study’s lead author Laura Prugh, a UW professor of environmental and forest sciences. “That might surprise people who think of coyotes as afraid of humans, but I think it just shows how ideal the urban setting is for coyotes.”
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During the study, the research team analyzed coyote scat collected around Seattle and from wild areas near Winthrop in north-central Washington and in Chewelah in the northeastern part of the state…