Species Richness Within an Urban Coyote (Canis latrans) Territory in Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Atlanta, GA, USA, has been one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the US over the past several decades, with a human population now close to 6 million. Urbanization has been rapid and widespread, thereby creating a highly fragmented mosaic of urban green space. As metropolitan Atlanta grew, so too did the region’s Canis latrans (Coyote) population, which has caused a mix of curiosity, delight, and concern among the city’s residents. Although the value of urban wildlife is now recognized by many people, the Coyote’s role in the animal community is often misunderstood or unknown, particularly in areas like the southeastern US where it is a relative newcomer. In an attempt to learn more about urban wildlife, particularly Coyotes, we used remote cameras to monitor a suburban green space in Atlanta from 2016 to 2018. A Coyote pair occupied the site throughout the duration of the study and produced offspring during each year. Biodiversity was high, as we detected 12 mammal, 2 reptile, and 22 bird species. Our study provides further insight into an urban Coyote population and its inclusion as part of an urban wildlife community.