Dog Town
Learning to live with coyotes.
Cockroaches, rats, and hot dog–scarfing ants are the kings of New York City’s concrete jungle, but there’s a new cat, er dog, in town. In recent years, more and more coyotes have been hitting the streets of the Big Apple, and Gotham Coyote is keeping tabs on their wily ways. The project, run by the American Natural History Museum and Mianus River Gorge, sets camera traps (like the one above in the Bronx) and collects reports of sightings from citizen scientists.
Researchers say it’s only a matter of time before the canines find their way to Long Island—one of the only places in the country without a resident coyote population. So, since they’re here to stay, New Yorkers should take a moment to get to know their new neighbors. They just may learn that these toothy tourists aren’t so bad.
onEarth provides reporting and analysis about environmental science, policy, and culture. All opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of NRDC. Learn more or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.