Research groups within the OSUE School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) are used to enhance and impart knowledge of natural and social systems and their essential relationships in the context of natural resource use and management.
The Urban Coyote Ecology and Management Research Group
Stanley D. Gehrt, PhD, Associate Professor & Wildlife Extension Specialist, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University is the principal investigator of the Cook County Coyote project http://urbancoyoteresearch.com/
Our limited understanding of how coyotes succeed in urban landscapes hampers management of this animal.
Even knowledge of their basic ecology is incomplete. This is important because diets, social behavior, movement patterns and survival may change with urbanization. Nevertheless, as coyotes become increasingly abundant in the cities, so does the need for basic information to develop management strategies. In areas where coyotes have existed with people for some time, such as the southwestern United States, conflicts with coyotes threaten the health and well-being of people and pets.
See Management for more information.
The Ghosts of the Cities:
Originally known as ghosts of the plains, coyotes have now become ghosts of the cities, occasionally heard but rarely seen.
Although a relatively recent phenomenon, coyotes have become the top carnivores in an increasing number of metropolitan areas across North America. This includes one of the largest urban centers in the Midwest — the Chicago metropolitan region. However, compared to other urban wildlife, we know very little about how coyotes are becoming successful in landscapes dominated by people.
Learn more about coyotes here .
View the Ohio State University Extension bulletin, “Urban Coyote Ecology and Management”
To order a printed copy from OSU Extension, submit a request by phone (614-292-1607) or email (pubs@ag.osu.edu), and ask for a copy of Bulletin 929. It will cost slightly less than $4.00.
http://www.urbancoyoteresearch.com/UrbanCoyoteManagementPDF.pdf