A couple of studies are underway to understand some of the behavioral aspects of coyotes in the South.
Previously, the coyotes were mainly found to the west of Mississippi but now they are found in almost all the states barring Hawaii. The numbers of coyotes have increased rapidly in the last few decades and they are spreading to new regions in search of food.
Chris Mowry, an associate professor at the Berry College, reveals he has been studying coyotes since 2006. He has also started the Atlanta Coyote Project to understand how the animals live side-by-side with humans in urban regions.
Homeowners typically call for a trapper when they see a coyote. The coyotes get removed or end up getting killed, which Mowry believes does not address the issue of controlling their spread.
"When left alone, coyotes will control their own numbers based on available resources (primarily food). Controlling and limiting those resources is the best management strategy," says Mowry.
Mowry has created a Facebook page for the project and launched a survey that educates people about the coyotes. The survey has been completed by more than 2,000 people. Mowry believes the findings of the survey will help provide information about the type of food being consumed, survival in urban surroundings and movement patterns.
Mowry and his team have also caught some coyotes and installed collars o track behavior.
Mike Chamberlain, a professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management at the University of Georgia's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, is also conducting a study on coyotes in the South. Chamberlain is collecting DNA samples of the coyotes with the data stored in a database at Princeton University.
Chamberlain's research mainly focuses on coyotes that have been caught by trappers. Chamberlain believes a large-scale study is needed to understand the behavior of the coyotes.
Both the studies are important as the increasing numbers of coyotes are having an impact on the ecology of many regions. The growing population of coyotes is affecting the fawn population in some areas. Coyotes are also said to dig up and eat the eggs of endangered sea turtles in some regions.
Researchers also say the total number of coyotes across the country remains unknown. The findings will help policy makers to understand the need of limiting the growing population of coyotes in many regions of the country.
