ATLANTA, Georgia (Atlanta News First) – New footage from researchers at the University of Georgia sheds light on how coyotes spend their time in Atlanta.
Researchers at UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources said footage captured by camera collars of coyotes in the Atlanta area “shows that they don’t want to see you any more than you want to see them.”
The researchers released the footage in collaboration with Wildlife Atlanta and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as part of their Urban Mammal Ecology Project. They said one goal of the study was to “provide insight into the daily activities of coyotes in hopes of minimizing negative interactions between humans and coyotes.”
They said the videos showed that coyotes largely avoid contact with humans and areas where people are during the day. Some of the moments captured by the coyote cameras include a coyote resting in a wooded area off the highway, a coyote grooming a cub near its den in the woods, and a group of coyotes drinking water from a stream.
The footage also confirms “that coyotes are opportunistic animals,” as seen, for example, when a coyote snatches a fast-food bag in a parking lot, the researchers say.
“Coyotes have expanded their range eastward, demonstrating their incredible resilience and adaptability. They are now found in some of the densest urban centers in the country,” said Michel Kohl, the project’s principal investigator and an associate professor at UGA’s Warnell School. “Much of what we’re seeing in Atlanta is applicable to other major metropolitan areas.”
Kohl hopes the videos can answer some of people’s most pressing questions about coyotes and reassure them that the dogs pose little danger to humans.
For more information about coyotes in Georgia and project details, click here.
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