ICYMI: California Coyotes HATE Rich Neighborhoods—Why Wealth Drives Them Away!
A new study reveals coyotes in Los Angeles dodge wealthier areas, favoring polluted, dense zones despite the luxury of biodiversity. 🌐 #News #LosAngelesCA #California #Lifestyle
LOS ANGELES, CA—A recent study published in Ecology Letters examines how coyotes navigate the urban landscape of Los Angeles, California, showing they tend to steer clear of wealthier neighborhoods. Conducted by a team of researchers, the findings shed light on the movement patterns of these adaptable animals in one of America’s largest cities.
Research Team and Methodology
To track coyote behavior, researchers analyzed data from 20 coyotes trapped and collared by the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner’s office. The collars recorded the animals’ locations at intervals ranging from 15 minutes to two hours.
The team also incorporated societal factors—such as wealth, pollution, and human population density—to better understand what influences coyote movement.
The study was spearheaded by Christine Wilkinson, a UC Berkeley alum and research associate at the California Academy of Sciences. She collaborated with co-author Niamh Quinn, a human-wildlife interactions advisor for the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources South Coast Research and Extension Center. Christopher Schell, an assistant professor and senior author, oversaw the project, with Wilkinson recently working as a postdoctoral researcher in his lab.
Coyote Preferences in the City
The study revealed that coyotes in areas with more pollution and development have larger home ranges, take longer steps, and explore more compared to those in less impacted zones.
Interestingly, neighborhood wealth emerged as a key factor in predicting coyote behavior. The animals consistently avoided richer areas, which often boast greater biodiversity due to well-maintained habitats and abundant resources—a phenomenon known as the “luxury effect.”
Wilkinson noted that residents in wealthier neighborhoods often view coyotes negatively and prefer to keep them at a distance. Some even obtain costly permits to remove the animals, a practice far less common in lower-income communities.
Urban Adaptation Over Time
Quinn pointed out that spotting a coyote in a city setting was almost unheard of 15 to 20 years ago but has become a regular occurrence today.
Despite their growing presence, coyotes use features like roads, railways, and flood channels to travel through urban areas rather than being stopped by them.
Trapping these animals in cities, however, requires precision to avoid capturing unintended wildlife, Quinn added.
Implications of the Findings
This research offers a detailed look at how coyotes adapt to urban environments and how human factors shape their behavior.
By avoiding wealthier neighborhoods and thriving in more burdened areas, coyotes demonstrate their ability to coexist with people—though not always in the places where they’re welcomed.
RELATED TOPICS: Animals | California | Lifestyle | Science
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