Coyote populations bounce back quickly, even after removal efforts

Coyotes have long stirred debate in American landscapes. Once thought of as western desert dwellers, they now thrive across forests, fields, and even city edges. Wildlife managers have often tried to reduce their numbers, hoping to ease pressure on deer and other species.

But a new study from the University of Georgia shows that such efforts may not achieve lasting results.

The researchers followed coyotes in South Carolina for nearly two decades. What they uncovered was a predator population that can rebound quickly and settle into stable numbers, even after heavy control.

Coyote populations rebound fast

The study focused on the Savannah River Site, a 78,000-hectare protected research area. Coyotes first arrived there in the mid-1980s. By the early 2000s, numbers had already climbed into the hundreds across the landscape. In 2010, managers launched a large-scale removal program.

For three years, trappers eliminated close to 474 coyotes. At first, the impact looked significant. Populations fell to just 22 coyotes per 100 square kilometers. Yet the relief was short-lived. By 2014, densities had already returned to 44 coyotes per 100 square kilometers and then leveled off.

“Coyotes can bounce back very rapidly,” said Heather Gaya, lead author of the study. That resilience now poses a challenge to anyone hoping to lower their numbers for the long term.

Long-term study methods

Tracking coyotes is not simple. They move widely, lack obvious markings, and thrive in many different habitats. To overcome these hurdles, the research team built an integrated population model.

This approach allowed them to bring together a variety of data sources. Howl surveys, scat counts, baited camera traps, genetic sampling, and records from removal campaigns all contributed to the analysis.

By combining these methods, the scientists pieced together 18 years of population trends. Such a long window offered insights that short-term studies often miss.

The data showed clear cycles of decline, rebound, and eventual stability. It also highlighted how coyotes respond not only to human intervention but also to the broader ecosystem around them.

Immigration fills the gaps

The sharp recovery after removal raised questions. Was reproduction alone driving the rebound, or did something else play a role? Evidence pointed strongly to immigration. Coyotes from surrounding areas moved into the spaces left by those removed.

GPS collar studies conducted later showed that more than half of the animals in the region were transients. These individuals traveled long distances – sometimes over 500 kilometers – before finding new territory.

Such mobility makes coyote populations difficult to suppress. Killing them in one area often creates openings for others to enter. The pattern repeated quickly after removals ended, leaving managers with the reality that local actions had little effect on the larger population picture.

The cost of coyote removal

Managing coyotes in this way also came with a steep bill. Between 2010 and 2012, the removal program cost between $30,000 and $50,000 each year.

That price tag covered only one percent of South Carolina’s land area. Expanding such efforts across the state would require resources well beyond what most agencies could sustain.

“The cost and man-hours that it takes to actively remove those coyotes is something that’s just not sustainable or not practical on a large scale,” Gaya said. The statement reflects both the financial burden and the constant labor required to keep populations down. Once efforts stop, the rebound begins.

What carrying capacity means

The findings suggested that the coyote population at the Savannah River Site had reached its carrying capacity. Despite temporary declines, numbers hovered around the same range before and after removals.

The researchers estimated stable densities of 44 to 50 coyotes per 100 square kilometers. In other words, the landscape could support that many, and the population settled there regardless of intervention.

This stability points to an important ecological reality. When prey remains available and competition from larger predators is absent, coyotes will persist. They have filled the role once held by wolves, becoming the dominant carnivore in the eastern United States.

Coyote population management

If lethal control offers only short-term relief, what can managers do? The researchers suggest turning attention to alternative strategies.

Adjusting hunting regulations for deer and other game may help balance predator and prey. Improving habitat quality could also strengthen prey populations, giving them a better chance to withstand pressure from coyotes.

The lesson is clear. Coyotes are not going away. Their adaptability and mobility ensure a lasting presence in southeastern landscapes. Shaping ecosystems to accommodate coyotes, rather than trying to erase them, may be the more practical path forward.

A new role in ecosystems

“For over 75 years, we didn’t have a lot of apex predators, so coyotes started to fill that void,” said co-author Gino D’Angelo.

“We had naive prey populations not ready for a predator at such a high abundance. That can have real dire effects on populations that aren’t used to predatory pressure.”

The study makes clear that coyotes are now shaping forests, fields, and even hunting traditions. Instead of resisting, wildlife managers may need to work with this reality. Coyotes are survivors. They will continue to howl across southern landscapes, long after removal campaigns fade.

The study is published in the journal Ecosphere.

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