Coyotes in the Bronx

Coyote pups in the Bronx, New York    Gotham Coyote

A symbol of the American West and the victim of countless assaults by humans, coyotes have somehow managed to not just survive, but to expand their range and to live not just in the open spaces of our country, but beside us in our cities.

The shrewd canines have spread so far from their ranges in the western US that they are now making unlikely homes in cities on the east coast, including beside the Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, a landscaped sward frequented by visor- and chino-wearing golfers in the faintly incongruous setting of the Bronx.

Coyotes have the ability to blend into the background of our suburbs and cities.  They are wary of humans and avoid contact with us.  Yet, in my California suburb I routinely see them in the early morning walking along the street or in our local parks.  They live in my neighborhood yet move like ghosts through it.  They will take the stray cat that wanders to far from home, but their diets are so varied that cat doesn’t need to be on the menu for them to thrive. 

“We encourage all New Yorkers and visitors to respect coyotes and give them plenty of space,” said a New York City Parks spokeswoman. “Healthy coyotes that are not fed or otherwise conditioned to approach humans will do their best to avoid human contact. They can even be beneficial to humans by helping to control the rodent population.”

I strongly urge you to read Dan Flores superb study of the myth, history and reality of the coyote - Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History.