Why urban coyote sightings are on the rise

[@VergeScience]

Interesting follow-up: you might have seen recent news stories about an increase in coyote sightings in cities like San Francisco. The question is, are animals like coyotes growing bolder in cities where residents are sheltering in place? This is sometimes framed as nature “reclaiming” urban spaces. We ran those stories by Jonathan, the coyote expert in the video. He had a different take: as more of us stay home, and go on short walks in our neighborhoods, we’re simply noticing the coyotes that were already there, before the pandemic began. There were just fewer people out and about to observe them before.

[@patriciapatrician6516]

Then why does he say they were gone for so many years??

[@VergeScience]

@@patriciapatrician6516 Ah, fair point. "All along" meaning "before the pandemic and shelter in place." Updating the comment!

[@patriciapatrician6516]

@@VergeScience If he says they were eliminated about 80 years ago, I'm not sure what that has to do with the pandemic. Coyote lovers always lecture us, "You cannot get rid of them so why try?" Yet he admits with technology from 100 years ago, we DID get rid of them in this area, WITHOUT ASSAULT WEAPONS. Seems to give well the lie that we cannot get rid of them.

[@patriciapatrician6516]

@@VergeScience dr. Timm and Dr. Baker who worked for the UC Research center and Cal Poly Pomona drew up a chart of how coyote aggression escalates. It's fairly predictable and not something that started just yesterday or three weeks ago. You can see the chart under table 1 on CA's own agriculture department Page. It's quite informative. ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74135.html

[@apostolosviol]

Verge Science give us more about this videos!

[@ShifuCareaga]

"The coyotes aren't paying taxes" This is clearly a high minded rational discussion brought to you by the residents of Poopville, USA

[@coreytaylor447]

sounds like a town you would find in Iowa

[@razielcelibethhernandez3699]

Thought I was the only one triggered by her comment

[@QueenetBowie]

They were upset because the coyotes were killing their pets. I can understand their emotions and frustrations, I agree it’s better to try to keep the coyotes in check like they’re doing her but I can understand why people are worried about them.

[@ShifuCareaga]

@@coreytaylor447 you must be from LA

[@ShifuCareaga]

@@QueenetBowie r/whoosh

[@jackfisher4114]

"We are paying high taxes and coyotes aren't"

[@franksinatraaintmydadnah3907]

Idiots

[@CPomilia]

That was the most scientifically interesting part of this video to me. Who cares about urban coyotes? Let's get some scientists together to study how such a shockingly stupid sentence could come out of a human being's mouth in 2020. The universe is incredible!

[@gs-nq6mw]

Cats:*starts to destroy species of birds* Humans:Omg,how we can solve this?we lost Nature:*balance in all things,i just sent some coyotes to eat cat's and keep the bird species safe*

[@hootle4641]

I came right to the comment section soon as this line was said

[@loreaver3882]

Pretty much

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

Coyotes do need to start paying taxes - I had no idea that they were avoiding their duty as citizens. Anything else they get up to?

[@julystargaryen9452]

They are also not voting... #blasphemy

[@CEOkiller]

They were hunted, trapped and oppressed in the past. We need reparations for coyotes! Justice for Wiley E.!

[@paulcooper8818]

The other day while leaving my neighborhood to get groceries, I saw a coyote in the scrub near a small four way intersection. As I approached the intersection the coyote walked out of the wooded area onto the road. I came to a halt at the stop sign and the coyote ambled up to the driver's side window. I cautiously lowered the window to see what it would do. The coyote move up to within talking distance and asked if I could pick up Gray Poupon at the store. I was shocked but then realized I had met my first Urbane Coyote

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

Was it a taxpayer then?

[@bell2097]

Funny made me laugh.

[@theeninja1918]

Did you pick up the gray poupon for him???

[@Cato76]

You should have shot it.

[@bus-fun-addict]

The end took me by suprise. I thought for sure the coyote was going to tell you he was out of Miracle Whip. Funny!

[@youtubecopyrights]

An unpopular opinion: Cats shouldn’t be outside because they kill a lot of wild life and are uncontested. Coyotes killing cats are just fair for nature.

[@jimothyj2638]

Yeah cats are just as much vermin as coons and possums. In fact they're worse because they aren't native. Any feral cat unlucky enough to find itself on my 12 acre property gets the fate it deserves

[@deeroney6191]

Facts

[@danielmoore62]

Exactly. What these people don’t realize is if any dog was wild they would eat your cats and small pets. It’s called nature.

[@StuninRub]

Then it is only "fair for nature" for humans to remove Coyotes from human living environment.

[@SeansODAATRecovery]

@@StuninRub seems logical

[@itsnotyasir]

Never thought the solution would be easy as taxing the coyotes.

[@Big007Boss]

In my country in northern Africa, they found an extinct species of wild hyena on the road last year just running around, they sent it back to extinction where it came from within a few hours.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

That's grim. Where was this? (I know you said North Africa, but you're not fooling me - I know that's not a real country).

[@Big007Boss]

@Matteo Ceccotti this is how I read about it in the news , I just translated it.

[@bell2097]

Rare and extinct critters are problematic, they show up and next thing ya know, government is taking you and your neighbors land and rights away. But since that hyena left the gene pool, within a few hours, not a problem.

[@Abdelhakz-we7hk]

فرشتنا خويا

[@shoulders-of-giants]

🤦🏼‍♂️

[@xQixAni]

Coyote be like : "we are here to stay"

[@rojorohr4723]

White lady be like: “you arent paying high taxes!"

[@Cato76]

They should just start shooting the things. Hire gangs to kill them.

[@wesmo_]

not on my lawn

[@Anomaly.Filmworks]

I hunt coyotes.

[@alienlatino2945]

The coyote expansion map at 3:10 is very accurate. In my country (El Salvador) we never had coyotes in the 19th century and 1960's and 1970's. But in 1992 they suddenly appeared out of nowhere, a totally new species to the land.

[@KJAY2THOUSAND]

Its quite neat to see how many different environments they can thrive in even when the weather can be at opposite ends of the spectrum..

[@idancohen4753]

My dad told me that they're basically the most shy animal possible

[@zumis1011]

to humans yeah individually but they're like Hyenas, little bastards are a lot braver in groups.

[@calipachanguero]

@@zumis1011 Like Humans?

[@ayush.kumar.13907]

now when are the wolves coming back?

[@weepat5325]

Technically, Coyotes are wolves; their closest relative is the Gray Wolf.

[@metalflorida]

Wee Pat correct me if I’m wrong but I thought coyotes are a type of jackal and wolves hunt jackals.

[@weepat5325]

@@metalflorida Coyotes are much closer taxonomically to the Gray Wolf, Himalayan Wolf, and the dog than to any of the Jackals.

[@metalflorida]

Wee Pat a coyote is also known as an American Jackal though.

[@weepat5325]

Yes, but they are also called Prairie Wolf or Brush Wolf.

[@kuazexin]

I like how americans always point how someone or something is not paying taxes, when they're having an issue.

[@Anomaly.Filmworks]

Liberals... not "Americans"

[@MrNote-lz7lh]

Well of course. Us paying taxes is the only reason the government should care more about us than the coyotes.

[@bus-fun-addict]

I know. I hear that every day from Americans. Not..sheesh

[@daymianlizard2526]

The coyotes aren't paying taxes 😂 Coyotes can't do math but I bet they'll out last you

[@VergeScience]

What urban wildlife stories do you have?

[@emrazum]

I was almost hit by a deer skating through UC Berkeley Campus, no mountain lions or coyotes though

[@bhmnsingh25]

Spotted a porcupine in front of my house, last night. Amidst the coronavirus lockdown. Have the surveillance footage. Featuring it being chased by a pack of dogs.

[@leftcoastbeard]

In Victoria, BC, we had the lone wolf Takaya. He was unfortunately killed by a trophy hunter earlier this year, after being relocated.

[@prairiepanda]

Coyotes eat a lot of cats in my city. The city doesn't really do anything to control them; they just tell people not to feed them. It's been speculated that the city wants to keep them around to control the population of strays. I just don't let my cats outside without a leash and close supervision.

[@wowjack8944]

I once saw a cat hiss at someone... Not much wildlife where i live.

[@uprightape100]

Domestic dogs kill or injure way more people, mostly children, so there's that. Also, the Eucalyptus and Acacia trees (invaders from Australia) in the parks around SF are a far worse and more flammable problem. Having witnessed horrific Euc fires, I advise lopping down every stinkin one BEFORE you experience an urban firestorm.

[@MrNote-lz7lh]

Domestic dogs are trusted so there's no comparison.

[@younghannibal7434]

Coyote are necessary for pest control

[@StuninRub]

Absolutely not.

[@shadowmaster9780]

Pest control, call orkin😁 coyotes are a pest!

[@humanbean1424]

My cat wasnt a pest..

[@shadowmaster9780]

Coyotes are a nuisance, you can shoot them no problem, they transmit rabies!

[@TasmanianWolves]

@@shadowmaster9780 Coyotes aren't even common enough to be a pest, neither are bobcats and lynx. Most only roam at night anyway

[@M-Soares]

"Coyotes don't pay taxes" Should've thought about that before establishing a settlement in the middle of THEIR habitat

[@patriciapatrician6516]

Mighty hypocritical to lecture your neighbors as if they are the problem but you are not. What makes you so special?

[@cob571]

@@patriciapatrician6516 How dare you? Everyone is special.

[@PatKittle]

Donna Lacourse -- You could say the same about humanoidians.

[@MendTheWorld]

Coyotes don’t pay taxes, but we respect that here in Texas.

[@akiraasmr3002]

Just watch your small children cause they could be gone in the next second.

[@goober3463]

I see one run down the road here at night frequently and when the trains run at night they yip at the horn noise.

[@eyeballdad8712]

I live in Massachusetts, and not in a rural area, but not a huge city either. A pretty mid sized city. And occasionally I see stray coyotes when I'm out on walks at night. Just the other week I saw one near a school right in my neighborhood, walking about as the street light shone on it. It was pretty cool. I've never realized just how much they have integrated into human society. Nice video!

[@markdotinc8371]

I've seen them on occasion in Boston proper! Fair play to them, I just wouldn't leave any small pets or children out unattended.

[@friedricengravy6646]

Yeah real cool till a kid at the school coming & going gets hurt. Wild animals r not our friends.

[@Slayeahlo]

Here in a suburb area, me and my best friend saw a couple of coyotes strutting around our college housing apartment complexes. We parked in front of my building after buying McDonalds and we saw coyotes walking around. We weren't sure if it was safe to come out because we had food. Another scary thing to consider is that we have bunnies living outside our apartments...

[@Anomaly.Filmworks]

Yeah... bunnies are scary alright. 🙄

[@Slayeahlo]

@@Anomaly.Filmworks No, I don't think you're getting me XD. We had coyotes prowling about in a neighborhood that has bunnies roaming around... Aka the coyotes are there since there's bunnies for them to eat 😣.

[@andycockrum1212]

Coyotes are pretty much a non threat to humans, unless they’re rabid

[@Shakester71]

Coyotes are being seen in urban area because it wasn't always urban. City development have pushed coyotes to small areas and they need to hunt for food so they'll venture into urban neighborhoods.

[@DaveTexas]

We had coyotes move into our urban condominium complex. First, all the outdoor cats - including a fairly sizable feral cat population - disappeared. Then our raccoons and possums disappeared. After that, one resident had his chihuahua grabbed by a coyote when he let the dog out for a minute. The coyote came seemingly out of nowhere and ran off with the chihuahua just as quickly. Since then, everyone knows to keep their cats inside and to never let a dog out alone. The coyotes still make appearances, but we don’t see them out quite as often as we did. The biggest problem we’ve seen is a pretty dramatic increase in rats and mice. Without all our feral cats - at one point we had 29 of them - the condo complex has seen a spike in our rodent population, which in turn has led to an increase in snakes. And we’re in a highly urban setting, with major highways on all three sides of the neighborhood (we’re a triangle of land between the three highways).

[@bell2097]

Distemper & parvovirus have a big influence on coyote populations here (East Tennessee.) Since the first coyote I saw 30 years ago coyote signs rise and fall dramatically in only a few seasons. The Smokey Mountains national park (close to where I'm at) tried to reintroduce Red Wolves to the park, it failed. Not too much after that I saw my first 60lb coySomething. Coydogs are seen often. Once saw a pack of coyotes, coydogs and feral domesticated dogs having a smorgasbord on a dead cow. Have felt that east of the Mississippi coyotes behavior is different than western coyotes, but after your video I'm not sure. Thanks for your video I enjoyed it.

[@OliverSolorzano]

Folks, don’t be over exaggerated by the coyote presence in urban environments. Let them be, don’t feed them, taunt them or engage with them. Let them have their life and you have yours

[@El_oh7199]

You don't want coyotes eating your pets? Keep them inside or on a short leash

[@louaymasri7873]

Coyotes are more scared of us then we are of them. And all you have to do is cull the aggressive ones. Leave the ones that remain fearful or cautious of humans.

[@patriciapatrician6516]

What do you think the aggressive ones are doing while you take time to watch each one do figure out if it is an aggressive one or not, eh?

[@JP_Lopez_]

Urban coyote sightings were already on the rise before the lock-down. I was afraid that without a lot of human activity in the streets the wild animals would take over once we'd get back to normalcy.

[@johngarcia8827]

As CEO of ACME Inc. I say we need coyotes

[@jercasgav]

Interesting these city dwellers upset with coyotes are often the same ones okay with reintroducing wolves to Colorado where they will be messing with ranchers and rural dwelling people...I find many urban dwellers to be hypocritical NIMBY's. There are a ton in Denver, CO (anywhere in CO), and the transplants are usually shocked that foxes and coyotes abound in town. I remember learning that there are more raccoons now in cities than the country. Why? Because the food is SO much more plentiful. Squirrels are also over populated in cities/burbs, and often the varieties are invasive to the area they are living in.

[@enderlynxwilloze7935]

Killing things because they don’t pay TAXES? WTF? that is not ok at all. WE HAVE STOLEN THEIR HOME AND NOW WERE MAD AT THEM FOR WALKING WHERE HUMANS CAN SEE THEM?

[@jdmar15382]

Flordia got gators but they aren't worried about taxing them?? keep your dog leashed and keep walkin...

[@taureantucker8582]

Did they ever find 15F?

[@kirisakow]

All that truce and coexistence rhetorics will be thrown out of the window on the day wolves are back.

[@Cato76]

They're already attacking our cattle.

[@Gguy061]

"Coyote" is one of the few words in English that have been borrowed from the Aztec language, including words like Chipotle, tomato, and jalapeño

[@CEOkiller]

Interesting… I did not know that, thank you!

[@Alex_564]

The Sleater-Kinney song Light Rail Coyote was written after the band read about a Coyote getting on the light rail system in Portland.

[@neilmodino9284]

It's the people's fault. You should not feed wild life at all. Last of all it doesn't matter on how much people care about wild life human safety is just as important. Coexisting with wild life in the urban area is not the answer and I disagree. Keeping this wildlife in the forest is the key: not feeding wild life is something that we should not do.

[@goodpools]

Just saw one today about in San Francisco after midnight, maybe .5 miles from the city haul which is in the urban skyscraper region of the city

[@joeldenney157]

rent prices (territory) for coyotes in San Fransisco is as high as humans

[@kbhasi]

0:24 It sounds to me like one of those traffic light buttons

[@lolwut2485]

4:50 can someone pls direct me to the article where this image is relevant? i have too many questions.

[@Kurtdog63]

Bring back the California grizzly. They probably eat coyotes. Co-existence would take on a new meaning.

[@philthym.5880]

and i hate when people blame or kill cayotes

[@mufunwamaposa956]

great work !!

[@calipachanguero]

Video: Coyote sightings are on the rise Also Video: Where the f is this Coyote?

[@user-wd3po8sd7k]

I’m in California and I have two coyotes that live in the field behind my home . I’m in a residential area. They come pretty close to my concrete fence, but seem to mostly stay in the field to hunt rodents.

[@kevinmael3862]

On average I see coyotes twice a month in the Presidio.

[@thomask1127]

A coyote attacked and almost killed my cat 2 years ago against all odds she somehow survived having a hole punched through her skull. I have a Chicago address.

[@Gguy061]

I work nightshift security in the San Diego area. Come 2am, these guys rule the suburbs. They're harmless to humans. I'm more afraid of a German Shepard than a coyote. Just jingle your keys. Make some noise to make yourself known in the area. That will scare away any coyote for miles

[@CEOkiller]

Think like a coyote!

[@MrGja111]

In Edmonton-Willing to bet a lot of people don't know this. General Motors warehouse on 118ave and about 172-173st has 4 or so coyote dens on the south side of the building. With the rising encounters, how is this aloud. In the city limits yet. I haven't been to GM warehouse in about a two years. So I don't know if they are still there or not or if the dens are there but no coyotes using them.

[@i.i.iiii.i.i]

If you let your pets alone outside, pretect them with a fence. And if you let your pets roam free, you have to expect that they could potentially get killed by a car, a coyote or something else ... Nobody say that cars should be banned from an urban environment to protect free roaming pets, that would be just as ridiculous :P

[@ՀովսեփԽաշունի]

Who’s saying pets are roaming free? I’m pretty sure most people let their pets out to the yard only when it’s fenced. Even if you fence you’re house, you need 15 feet to protect against coyotes. And who’s driving cars into your yard?

[@i.i.iiii.i.i]

@@ՀովսեփԽաշունի When you have pets and there are predators that feed you prey the size of your pets, you better protect them. Don't blame the predators when you let your pets unattended in their territory. Your garden is the predators territory when you don't have a fence. You also wouldn't blame the cars when you let your dog play on a highway and then it gets hit. Supervise them or get a fence or something.

[@i.i.iiii.i.i]

@@ՀովսեփԽաշունի Cats usually roam free...

[@maxz8807]

@@ՀովսեփԽաշունի let me introduce you to the concept of cats.

[@ՀովսեփԽաշունի]

Should’ve expected so many cat owners in the comment section for a science video.

[@jtrvlsthewrld]

Are coyote now the newest gadget from Boston Dynamics? Am I watching National Geographic or The Verge? 🤔

[@J0shWar]

Dont mind those stupid comments, I found the video very interesting 😁

[@josephlinaldiyos9.779]

Why do i watch this video when coyotes are something that won't want live in my place

[@Weouthere805]

12 pound dog was the first mistake 😂

[@StephEWaterstram]

I actually had to get an education what a Fox is and isn't. I thought I was sighting Foxes, uh? They weren't Foxes, They were Coyotes! I've had Three sightings in Buffalo NY. A year ago The closest encounter I had took place near Linden & Parkside and it crawled from a cement staircase and crossed the street gracefully.

[@mazlosoutdooradventures8594]

The wolves had them under control. Maybe you need to release wolves in SF

[@Madman5465]

Whaat? Coyotes don't pay taxes??? whaat?

[@UnenthusiasticPerson]

He can’t see the coyote because he’s using acme binoculars. 0:07

[@amanahmed6296]

Simply Coyotes follow vacancy policy.

[@camkind6952]

If a coyote killed my pet I’d hunt them down lmao

[@KyleMcNally]

Someone listens to SYSK

[@TheRedheadedjen]

They are all over Boston with the turkeys and in my neighborhood, the bunnies.

[@mhector1532]

I love coyotes. I see them and hear them in the burbs of Detroit. I see them and hear them in the burbs of Phoenix. They help connect me to nature and our planet. I cannot speak to the toy poodles and chihuahuas that may be in danger. I love wolves, too. I cannot speak for the humans who grow fur under the full moon.

[@ryanodonnell6748]

It actually wouldn't be that hard to get them out of our city's

[@l.salisbury1253]

The reason coyotes don't pay taxes is they use the defective explosive devices they buy from Acme as a write-off...

[@philthym.5880]

Cayotes hunt for a living so do wolves but its not the cayotes fault for killing and hunting its your responsibility to wach your pets and your choice to leave them outside so clearly its like saying your gonna kill a human for hunting a chiken to eat or kill your freind for fishing fish to eat like bruh... so dont blame the cayotes blame yourself for having your kid outside or your pet outside just saying

[@StuninRub]

I would absolutely kill another human if they came to my property to eat my live stock or pets without permission.

[@michaelkolbe5963]

Then there's the fact that conservation places thousands in areas that either never had coyote or haven't seen in areas in Centuries .Then they crossed gray wolf with Coyote and lying about it and many know their lying .

[@ReddoFreddo]

What's the whole point of coexistence with coyotes? Do they form an essential part of the ecosystem or something? What do people miss when there are no coyotes? Cause if it's just having coyotes for coyotes sake than I don't see the point. I don't live in the US, but I wouldn't want my cat get eaten by a coyote, or have to live indoors because of that, or run away in front of a car because he's chased by a coyote, and that's not to speak of little kids.

[@ReddoFreddo]

@@runawayuniverse And coyotes don't eat animals, lol. We've been living with cats since the existence of agriculture, and my cat is way too lazy to catch anything anyway.

[@StuninRub]

They don't do anything for the environment, but idiots want them here for the sake of having them here, mainly because they resemble dogs.

[@jaredmcclure1730]

I was thinking pretty much along the same lines. What benefit to humanity does "coexisting" with coyotes offer?

[@SlowToe]

Collateral movie, Audioslave, Coyotes ❤️

[@husnainanwaar1992]

Road Runner is needed

[@fleadoggreen9062]

If coyotes eat city rats I’m all for it, but this guy studied their Pooh , and it was cats they eat , Chicago has so many rats

[@6airi610]

I wouldn’t be able to tell if they’re dogs or coyote

[@gingermaniac5484]

THAIR SHO FLAUGHPHY AAAAAAAAA LOOOKATEHM!!!!!!

[@philthym.5880]

And cayotes lived in earth before humans did

[@terridermenjian2823]

we don't need koyote they are wild animals

[@jjn6914]

While I respect that coyotes are a part of nature, their population explosion is not supposed to happen if humans didn't kill off so many of their natural predators. I'd rather have more cougars roaming to help control the coyote population.

[@ruthn7847]

To put a harness

[@doctorlove3536]

Is it pronounced as Cayote or Coyotie

[@elosoguapo8137]

They live in the canyon right outside my bedroom

[@spencerrr9878]

Ahhhhh yes the SF Coyotes, theres 1 or 2 of them in the park behind my uncles house in SF too (They live live like 2 blocks from UCSF) theyre cool to watch

[@astantine85]

LOL the verge is doing science instead of the iphonee

[@jeanconneely3602]

My cat was just killed by a coyote 😢

[@NadiaGirl1]

Hey they were here before us.

[@samsmith6422]

Lovely creatures

[@sohambhatia]

who knew coyotes were NIMBYs too

[@judithcampbell3354]

Coyotes are needed in cities, they eat rats and mice. Besides any small pets. They can be picky eaters! They are beautiful and necessary! Thank y’all for sharing 💜

[@californiadreaming567]

They are underselling how dangerous these coyotes are. In the last ten years they have become more aggressive 24/7. Let’s change things and decrease their populations by half through out the country

[@JamesSmith-ph7sp]

How they get back

[@ShifuCareaga]

Wow i clicked and it says 1 view and Verge is the only commenter. Second?

[@zorodielirido]

why the censorship

[@coreytaylor447]

youtube doesn't like it so they will demonetize it

[@maxz8807]

What is USA? do you mean Canada a bit to the south?

[@chadwickhjones]

Excellent

[@harmoni4499]

Coyotes coming to polluted cities for one thing---looking for food. We human shouldn't take away their land & now peoples complained coyotes are coming to their spaces to killing their pets...(?) They don't know the difference of pets & wild animals.

[@SusanIsListening]

Pest and vermin control doesn't get any greener than this.

[@teresaallen3045]

Need human control that simplr

[@philthym.5880]

and its not the cayotes fault for killing or attacking the 6 year old and killing people or hurting stuff its the mom and dads fault letting the 6 year old rome around or there fault for choosing to go outside at the time

[@grettagrids]

Dear coyotes.. please take out some of these squirrels here.. they are a huge problem..

[@athulspeaks5065]

World : CORONA Verge : COYOTE 15F