The explosion in the coyote population (like deer and elk) is driven by the lack of their natural predator, the wolf.
I am a big fan of both coyotes and wolves but we wouldn't have much of a coyote situation in North America had the populations of wolves not been so drastically reduced.
That's likely what's allowing the coyote the freedom to travel to South America.
A century ago, both coyotes and wolves were kept in check by humans. Humans lived mostly on farms, not in cities. People carried guns. It was normal and expected that a person would shoot a dangerous predator.
As things stand now, we're going to have coyotes and wolves everywhere. They will be in city parks, eating the garbage and pigeons and raccoons. City dwellers don't normally shoot predators; it would be weird and would likely result in an arrest. Small and frail people (children included) won't be safe alone, as they had been for a couple centuries.
>A century ago, both coyotes and wolves were kept in check by humans
Annihilated the population, FTFY.
>As things stand now, we're going to have coyotes and wolves everywhere. They will be in city parks, eating the garbage and pigeons and raccoons. City dwellers don't normally shoot predators; it would be weird and would likely result in an arrest. Small and frail people (children included) won't be safe alone, as they had been for a couple centuries.
Not likely. You forget about Animal Control? And if populations ever were to become a problem you think city dwellers are too helpless and stupid to do anything about it? Like increase the animal control budget...
Your lack of imagination doesn't project onto reality very well I'mm sorry to say.
City dwellers generally don't (in general) shoot animal pests for pretty obvious reasons: in the close quarters of the city, mistakes may have much greater impact. Coyotes rarely attack people; even unarmed, I'd bet on the 150lb adult human over the 30lb coyote in any 1-on-1 fight, and humans often have other clever tricks up their sleeves (including weapons but also beyond that). Generally speaking coyotes avoid people as much as possible. They are IMHO wise to do so.
The main impact of coyote urbanization on most people IMHO is that it is much less safe to have an "outdoors cat" or any other free-roaming pet. Which is why animal control departments from what I see don't pay much mind to urban coyotes, it is not that big of a problem. As another poster says, if it became a big problem, resources could be directed to control the coyote.
I am a big fan of both coyotes and wolves but we wouldn't have much of a coyote situation in North America had the populations of wolves not been so drastically reduced.
That's likely what's allowing the coyote the freedom to travel to South America.