Posted on 11/07/2011 8:14:28 PM PST by jazusamo
Hybrid offspring of coyotes and wolves have spread south along the eastern seaboard, a new DNA study confirms.
Scientists already knew that some coyotes, which have been gradually expanding their range eastward, mated with wolves in the Great Lakes (map) region. The pairings created viable hybrid offspring—identified by their DNA and skulls—that have been found in mid-Atlantic states such as New York and Pennsylvania.
Now, new DNA analysis of coyote poop shows for the first time that some coyotes in the state of Virginia are also part wolf. Scientists think these animals are coyote-wolf hybrids that traveled south from New England along the Appalachian Mountains.
The study also identified another coyote migration route moving through the southern states.
"You have a situation where you have these two waves of coyotes coming into the mid-Atlantic, a terminus for coyote colonization," said study leader Christine Bozarth, a research fellow at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.
Northern Virginia in particular seems to be a convergence point for coyote migrations, Bozarth said—and the animals' numbers are increasing there, especially in suburban areas where food is more plentiful.
(See "Coyotes Now at Home in Eastern U.S." )
Versatile Coyote Already Widespread
Coyotes are originally residents of middle America, particularly between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River, as well as parts of Canada and Mexico.
By the end of the 20th century, the versatile animal—which can eat almost anything, from shoe leather to fruit—had spread to nearly every corner of the U.S., even New York City.
The coyote is "one of the animals that will be left at the end, like the cockroaches, raccoons, and rabbits," Bozarth said.
For the new study, Bozarth and colleagues collected coyote scat samples in northern Virginia and extracted DNA. The team then compared the coyote DNA with that of representatives of every canid species found in eastern North America. ( Get a genetics overview .)
The study, published October 17 in the Journal of Mammalogy, found evidence that Virginia coyotes mated with Great Lakes wolves but not with the rare red wolf, which is hanging on in just a few isolated spots in the U.S. South.
That's "good news for the red wolf," whose survival is already threatened by inbreeding, which reduces the species' genetic diversity, Bozarth noted.
Hybrid Coyotes Taking Down Deer?
For now, it's impossible to say how "wolfy" the newly identified coyote-wolf hybrids really are, Bozarth added—just that "at some point down the line, a coyote mated with a Great Lakes wolf-even generations ago."
Scientists have not yet studied the behaviors of the Virginian hybrids to see if they're killing bigger wildlife or otherwise changing the ecosystem, Bozarth added.
But other East Coast hybrids seen alive or identified by their remains are noticeably larger, with more wolf-like skulls, jaws, and teeth, Bozarth noted. (See pictures of new hybrid species appearing in the warming Arctic .)
Given this, coyote-wolf hybrids "should be able to do things like take down deer, which a little, scrappy Great Plains wily coyote would not be able to do on its own," Bozarth said.
Indeed, the research highights "just how successful and adapted these hybrids are to the eastern forests," said Roland Kays, curator of mammals at the New York State Museum in Albany.
For instance, Kays's research on the previously known eastern hybrids has shown that a third of their diet is deer—a much higher proportion than in western states.
Coyotes in Mid-Atlantic "Here to Stay"
Jonathan Way, a wildlife biologist and head of the Massachusetts-based education group Eastern Coyote Research, called the new paper "timely."
Coyotes coming from the west are moving not only through the Great Lakes but also south of the region, through Ohio. But until now, it was unknown how that southern route of colonization was influencing coyotes in the mid-Atlantic region, Way said by email.
According to Way, these two fronts of coyote expansion have probably made the Virginia animals "hybrids of a hybrid."
That's because the Virginia hybrids are most likely a combination of northeastern coyote-wolf hybrids, which are slightly bigger and more wolf-like, and nonhybrid coyotes coming through Ohio.
"The results of the paper are clear and important, and confirm that mid-Atlantic coyotes have DNA from [Northeast] animals ... and western coyotes," Way said.
Whatever their exact genetic makeup, one thing is clear, study author Bozarth emphasized: Coyotes and coyote-wolf hybrids in the mid-Atlantic are "absolutely established—they're here to stay."
I would imagine that drinking antifreeze would be a painful way for them to die.
Given a choice, I would rather buy more antifreeze than have a live coyote/coydog/coyote wolf hybrid on my property.
I wonder sometimes if a backpack that looked like it had a face on it would make it a bit safer to go hiking in these dogs’ territory. Sort of like people in India wearing masks on the backs of their heads when in tiger territory. The animal will be less inclined to sneak up behind you.
(This in addition to being well armed, not as a substitute for it)
Some of the coyotes I’ve seen here in Wisconsin are about the same height as a German Shepherd. They’re leaner, but still a formidable animal. 40 lbs would be a good estimate.
And since they are urban, they don’t have much fear of humans, although they are pretty wary of cars.
Downeastern shore, by chance?
Best place on earth to vacation.
I’ve spent many summers in Coles Point [right across from Point Lookout] and Chesapeake, where we had a cabin cruiser docked at Breezy Point.
Calvert Cliffs is Disneyland, for me.
We went up down the whole MD shoreline, taking side trips before and after going to Chincoteague/Assateague, yearly.
Wonderful place, wonderful memories, wonderful people.
Would love to go back again but it’s hard getting away with the dogs and all.
It’s a good idea, for sure.
They -know- when you turn your back...and that’s when they make their run.
Thank God my dad had the wherewithal to walk backwards, which, being downhill over granitic glacial debris, roots and stumps had to be hard for that old man.
[I have a latex life-like Alice Cooper mask I could wear backwards...maybe that would really blow their minds]...LOL
I hope somebody here’s got 10K to loan me....LOL
Im in NE KS, where the average big coyote is 25lbs. they interbreed with dogs I’m sure but wolves no.
Watch out for your vehicle antifreeze when coyotes are around. The little thieves will bite into a plastic container, then lap up your $11/gal antifreeze. And, the animal whacko crowd will not reimburse you for your loss.
And promptly die? Ethylene glycol ingestion is normally fatal even in small quantities.
Choot Em Lizbeth! Choot Em!
I’m in suburban Maryland. I like riding my TB mare in the countryside; I mean, what’s the point of having a horse if you have to ride it around and around in an arena? But this past summer we were stalked by several yotes. They were big—big enough so that they must have been hybrids. Almost like German shepherds. The poor horse was pretty worried, especially since I couldn’t let her just take off and gallop home. This was 2 in the afternoon, so imagine how aggressive they’d be in the early evening.
What bugs me is that I can’t take a gun with me. Maryland doesn’t care if the entire Russian Army is invading, you don’t have the right to protect yourself outdoors with firearms. After all, you might hurt somebody! So I am riding with a huge hunting knife. To use that, however, I have to have yotes crawling all over me and the horse. Not a practical weapon, really.
About a month ago I was deer hunting in Southern Oregon, maybe 30 miles from Crater Lake.
I stopped for a minute and put my rifle down to attend to "other business" when a very large white and gray coyote came up out of the woods and looked me over from about 50 ft. It appeared to be 50-60 lbs, by comparison to my 70 and 90 lb. Labradors.
It was a very good-looking animal, but when I picked up the rifle, it took off in a flash. It had definite wolf markings, but was way too small for a wolf and too big for a coyote.
Even though the Fish and Wildlife people will tell you that wolves are extinct in Oregon, I have seen wolves in the wild, or at least a pair of ~200 lb GSD-looking animals with gray and black coloring.
How well I know, fellow horse person.
I grew up riding the deserted dirt back roads, ridges and mountains and could carry whatever I was *big* enough to carry as there was no one around to complain.
All our horses were used for hunting so shooting off of them was no problem.
I also had a couple of Dobes running with me for ‘forward sentries’.
*However*, back in those halcyon days, all I had to worry about was weirdos and bobcats.
With all the major predators out there now [human and animal] I’m not sure I’d enjoy it as much.
You did well by her.
“Taking off and galloping home” would’ve put their prey drive into overdrive.
Could’ve been very bad.
FWIW, they stalked my dad in broad daylight, bold as brass.
I don’t think they’re playing by the usual rules so no time is a safe time, anymore.
Even though I have a high fence with barb wire on the top, I worry about my goats every night.
They’re ditsy and totally defenseless....and their pasture butts right up to the pine barrens at the foot of the mountain.
Every morning I rejoice to hear their nagging “MEH EH EH EH EH!” greedy bleats for breakfast.
My mom has coyotes in a residential neighborhood in Clearwater, Fl. Lol
![](http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/wp-content/uploads/coyote-1-300x254.jpg")
One that looked just like this "Eastern" coyote strolled through my backyard in eastern Wisconsin just last week. We were at the breakfast table and my husband said "Wolf!" because it was so big. But, then we decided it was a coyote. I've never seen one that big before. It was the size of a Belgian Shepherd. (the 4 footed kind)
Now I'm concerned about letting my Golden Retriever out unacompanied. The thing I remember the most vividly was this animal's coat and his fluffy tail. It was healthy and beautiful.
Darn! My picture doesn’t show. I’ll look for another.
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