Why have coyotes expanded their range across North America?

Coyotes (Canis latrans) have significantly expanded their range across North America due to their remarkable adaptability and changes in the continent's ecological landscape.12

Key factors driving this expansion include:

• Adaptability: Coyotes are highly versatile and can thrive in diverse environments, ranging from wilderness areas to human-modified landscapes, including urban centers like Chicago and Los Angeles.12
• Mesopredator Release: During the 20th century, the populations of top carnivores—such as wolves and cougars—declined dramatically across the United States due to human activities like hunting and poisoning. As these apex predators were removed, coyotes were freed from the competition and mortality pressure they previously faced, allowing them to occupy new hunting grounds and expand their range into areas once controlled by larger predators.3
• Hybridization: In eastern North America, coyotes have interbred with wolves and domestic dogs, resulting in hybrid populations known as "coywolves" or eastern coyotes. These hybrids are generally larger and may possess genetic traits that further assist in their success across varied habitats.12