As homelessness rises globally, more people without shelter are using parks and urban green spaces for protection. These areas also support wildlife adapted to city environments, increasing chances of risky human-animal encounters such as those involving coyotes. Unhoused individuals risk disease transmission from wildlife, while animals may lose habitat due to human activity.
Research by scientists examined this growing conflict, focusing on coyotes in Edmonton and published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. Coyotes adapt well to cities and often interact with residents through property issues, pet attacks, or rare direct confrontations. Records from the Edmonton Urban Coyote Project indicate rising conflict reports involving approaches or threats to people and pets.
Harsh winters in the city aided the study by preserving tracks in snow that revealed coyote movements and diets. Abandoned camps remained visible, allowing analysis of interactions while protecting privacy.
Three main conflict types emerged. Competition occurs as both groups favor quiet zones away from paths; coyotes sometimes reuse old sleeping sites for dens, while people may disturb them later. Food sources near camps attract coyotes when trash is unsecured, leading to health problems and food conditioning that heightens aggression. Disease spreads via coyote scat left near camps, carrying parasites like Echinococcus multilocularis that can cause severe illness in humans lacking hygiene access.
Solutions center on addressing root causes of homelessness through better income and housing support, which would reduce both human hardship and wildlife conflicts.
