In 1998 a study on the behavior of Eastern coyotes in suburban areas began in the town of Barnstable, located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Sponsored by the Environmental Studies Program and the Urban Ecology Institute at Boston College, this ongoing study has provided a wealth of previously unknown information about how these magnificent creatures move, socialize, and live peacefully in ecosystems dominated by humans.
In 2001 we expanded this research on the ecology of coyotes to the urban area of Boston, specifically in and around the town of Revere, MA. Likewise, in November 2004, we began another part of the study in Newton. The proximity of Newton to Boston College and its undergraduates allows more involvement, and we currently have a team of six students participating in the research.
Our protocol is to capture coyotes primarily using box-traps. We then outfit them with radio-collars to track their movements in the wild. So far the study has allowed us to successfully capture and track, via radiotelemetry, dozens of coyotes of both sexes and a wide range of ages.
Our research has proven to be a unique and useful educational tool for middle and high school students in the greater Boston area who are eager to learn about the suburban and urban environments in which they live and the animals with which they share them. We also make public outreach a part of our Program in order to educate and include interested community members in our studies. In the past we have hosted community meetings with question and answer sessions in which we describe our work. We encourage particularly interested community members to participate in the study directly, by giving us a hand with the day-to-day duties needed in the field.
The Eastern Coyote has recently moved into the Boston urban environment and lives alongside humans. While they fill the niche of top predator in this environment easily, there is still little known about their specific behaviors and tendencies in this new environment.
