Outdoor Pursuits

In recent years, Alberta has witnessed a significant increase in coyote populations, both in rural and urban areas, driven largely by a decline in trapping due to low fur prices. This surge has led to increased human-coyote conflicts, with coyotes becoming bolder, preying on livestock and pets, and raising concerns about public safety.

I recently read an interview in the St. Albert Gazette with University of Alberta professor, Colleen Cassady St. Clair, who suggests that the parasite Toxoplasma gondii may contribute to this boldness in coyotes, exacerbating conflicts. Having never heard of Toxoplasma gondii before, I was immediately interested.

St. Clair suggested that Toxoplasma gondii may contribute to the increased boldness observed in coyotes. T. gondii is a zoonotic parasite primarily associated with cats, but it can infect virtually all warm-blooded animals including coyotes, humans, and livestock.

Coyotes contract T. gondii by consuming infected prey such as rodents or birds, which harbour the parasite. In mammals, T. gondii can alter behaviour, often increasing aggression or reducing fear, a phenomenon well-documented in rodents that become less cautious around predators. St. Clair suggests that similar behavioural changes in coyotes could make them less wary of humans, leading to bolder interactions in both rural and urban Alberta.

Historically, trapping helped regulate coyote numbers, but when companies like Canada Goose capitulated to the animal-rights movement, the market for coyote fur collapsed, leading to fewer trappers targeting coyotes. A 2024 CBC report noted that this reduction in fur harvesting has allowed coyote populations to grow unchecked, particularly in rural areas where they are considered a major livestock predator.

In rural Alberta, coyotes have long posed challenges for livestock producers (see Gordy Klassen’s article, Heading Off Conflicts, on page 56), preying on cattle, sheep, goats, and other animals. The Western Stock Growers’ Association say that coyotes are agricultural pests under provincial legislation, yet there is no compensation for losses under Alberta’s Wildlife Predator Compensation Program, something they’d like changed.

In urban areas, coyotes have adapted to human environments, exploiting food sources like garbage, pet food, and small mammals. A 2023 study in Edmonton (https://ecologyandsociety.org/vol28/iss2/art19/), analyzing over 9,000 community reports from 2012 to 2021, documented rising coyote boldness, with sightings and conflicts increasing as coyotes become less wary of humans.

In Alberta, urban coyotes may be susceptible to T. gondii due to their proximity to domestic cats and rodents, which are common in cities and carry the parasite. The parasite’s oocysts, shed in cat feces, contaminate soil, water, and food sources, persisting in the environment for months. Coyotes consuming contaminated prey or scavenging in urban areas are at high risk. While T. gondii rarely causes visible symptoms in coyotes, according to St. Clair, it could explain why some coyotes approach humans, livestock, or pets without fear.

In urban areas, coyotes pose a threat to pets, particularly small dogs and cats, which they perceive as prey. Larger dogs can be seen as competitors, leading to aggressive encounters. Edmonton’s 2023 study noted that reports mentioning pets were more likely to describe bold coyote behaviour, with human concern peaking when children or pets were involved. Additionally, coyotes carry other zoonotic parasites, like Echinococcus multilocularis, a tapeworm detected in 60 to 80 percent of Edmonton’s coyotes, which poses risks to pets and humans if ingested through contaminated feces.

Alberta’s growing coyote population has significant consequences for livestock owners. In rural areas, coyotes often hunt in packs, targeting vulnerable animals like calves, lambs, and goats, causing substantial economic impacts.

Lethal control methods, such as trapping, shooting, or poisoning, have been used historically but are less effective in urban areas due to safety risks and a coyote’s ability to evade traps. However, it has been said that removing coyotes often creates vacancies that other coyotes quickly fill. According to St. Clair, “Coyotes’ reactions is having larger litters and breeding at younger ages. In other words, they’re making more coyotes faster.”

Modern wildlife management emphasizes non-lethal strategies such as aversive conditioning, which uses deterrents like noise, lights, or reflectors to discourage coyotes from approaching humans or livestock. St. Clair suggests hanging reflectors on fences to deter coyotes, leveraging their aversion to light.

The coyote population surge in Alberta, fueled by reduced trapping, has intensified conflicts in rural and urban areas, with Toxoplasma gondii contributing to bolder coyote behaviour. Often referred to as the “continental survivor”, coyotes thrive despite the many challenges they face. Their adaptability, bolstered by Toxoplasma gondii’s influence on boldness, allows them to thrive in both urban and rural areas. This cunning predator navigates challenges with ease, despite human efforts to control them.

As Alberta grapples with rising conflicts, one can only admire the coyote’s ability to survive and adapt, and without trappers having incentive to trap them, Wile E. Coyote has figured out a way to not only live with us, but to also exploit us. And they’re getting braver!

For the previous Outdoor Pursuits article, click here.