Wolf repeatedly chases coyote aware from carcass

This is the only interaction between a wolf and coyote we have observed during our study so far. This camera was near a carcass and the wolf seemed intent on keeping the coyote away from it. Clearly, the coyote was not too afraid as it kept returning after being chased away. Many have asked us about our observations of wolf-coyote interactions, with many wondering if we have seen coyotes killed by wolves. The answer is “no“…we have yet to document it. It almost certainly happens from time to time in our area but appears pretty rare. We have documented over 1,300 wolf-kills and not one has been a coyote. But, we have documented 13 wolves that have been killed by other wolves during this period. Notably, coyote densities are quite variable across our study area. In Voyageurs National Park, which is predominantly mature boreal forest, we rarely get coyotes on our cameras. However, we see more coyotes on cameras (and in person) south of the park where there is logging, agriculture (e.g., hay fields), etc.—all activities which appear to alter the landscape in a way that is more favorable to coyotes. Some have asked whether wolves in our area are suppressing coyote populations by killing them. We don’t really have any evidence that suggests this is the case, and we suspect much of the variability in the coyote population across our area is related to habitat. Learn more about the Voyageurs Wolf Project: Website: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: