Coyote: The Original Enlightened Omnivore
A Story of Survival in Uncertain Time
I live in a small town 30 miles outside of Los Angeles, self-named the “City of Trees and PhDs.” Yet, despite its manicured suburban vibe, this Inland Empire enclave can be one of the wildest college towns around.
Now I’m not talking about the beer pong, pub crawl, tailgating kind of wild. There aren’t any dive bars here. I mean, a more primal kind of wild, when Mother Nature reclaims the dark.
Each evening, I watch my backyard transformed into nature’s theater. Raccoons raid the compost, opossums waddle past the patio, owls perch in the oak trees, and (though I hate to admit it) rats dart between the raised garden beds. But nothing compares to the canis latrans – Mr. Wile E. Coyote himself – whose haunting howls and growls echo through the side streets and dark alleys, voicing unexpected truths of resilience.
In his illuminating book Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History, Dan Flores reveals the extraordinary story of this underrated predator. The coyote, one of North America's original wild dogs, has a tale that speaks directly to survival, adaptation, and evolution. While their cousin the wolf faced near extinction from systematic human persecution, coyotes have done something remarkable. They've thrived despite humanity's best efforts to eradicate them.
Since the late 1800s, the United States government has waged an outrageous and relentless campaign against coyotes. Programs like the DWR Predator Control Program incentivize hunters to "remove" coyotes using poisons and traps, often paying $50 bounties for documented kills. While several states have banned organized killing contests and "derbies” in recent years, these underground events still persist across much of the American West. Despite spending more than $200 million on eradication efforts and the sanctioned death of millions of coyotes, US government agencies have failed to “control” coyote populations.
In fact, coyotes have expanded their range and numbers throughout North America, especially in recent years. Ironically, it stands as perhaps the single greatest failure of American wildlife management – or, viewed differently, the greatest testament to Mother Nature flipping the bird at human hubris. “Is that all you got?” the coyote seems to be saying.
So what makes the coyote so hard core?
I think it has to do with the animal’s unparalleled ability to adapt. When faced with environmental pressures, coyotes don't just survive – they evolve. They can adjust their social structure, shifting between solitary scavenging and pack hunting. When their numbers are threatened, they respond with larger litters and earlier breeding ages, transforming persecution into population growth. With habitat pressure, they abandon their preferred grasslands and woodlands, and become partial to city parks, golf courses, vacant lots and backyards. Even their diet shows remarkable flexibility – swapping small game and wild forage for what experts call “human-associated foods” like garbage bins, backyard gardens, and unsuspecting neighborhood pets.
This adaptability isn't just physical; it's deeply ingrained in their intelligence. Coyotes learn from experience, and pass knowledge between generations. They quickly figure out how to avoid traps or poison bates, and teach these survival strategies to their offspring. While other predators retreated from the relentless human expansion West, coyotes have successfully colonized urban and suburban environments–even New York City and Chicago—proving their ability to coexist with us even in the densest of populations.
In Native American mythology, the coyote is often portrayed as the trickster, nature's practical joker - but this ancient characterization runs deeper than mere folklore. The trickster archetype perfectly captures the coyote's remarkable ability to adapt, deceive, and ultimately survive against all odds. Far from being just a mischief-maker, the coyote embodies the cunning intelligence required to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Beyond this mischievous reputation lies something far more profound. The coyote's opportunistic nature - its ability to "trick" its way out of nature's constraints - has made it something on the whole more incredible; a survivor. By hook or by crook, the coyote has demonstrated it is a most enlightened omnivore. One of only a handful of hunter-gatherers left on the planet, masters of both scavenging and stalking, coyotes adapt their approach based on what's available and what's necessary. It's as if they're playing an evolutionary joke on those who would try to eliminate them, turning opposition into opportunity.
Many mistake the Enlightened Omnivore logo for a wolf, but it's actually a coyote – nature's ultimate opportunist: comfortable in both wilderness and urban landscapes; able to survive modernity, while staying connected to more wild, natural roots.
As I watch these remarkable creatures navigate our suburban world, the coyote reminds me that being an enlightened omnivore isn't just about what I eat, but how I approach life itself.
When established structures shift and familiar ground becomes uncertain, maybe the key to survival isn't fighting harder – it's adapting smarter.
Like the coyote, I strive to maintain my essential purpose while being flexible enough to find new paths forward, even as the old ways crumble around me.
So the next time you spot a coyote slinking through your neighborhood, remember: you're looking at one of nature's greatest success stories; a master of survival. And maybe, just maybe, there's a lesson in there for all of us.
In a world of constant change, the most enlightened among us might just be those clever enough to change the rules of survival itself.
It’s time to coyote up!
Interested in learning more?
If you'd like to dive deeper into the remarkable world of coyotes and their lessons in resilience, there's a wealth of knowledge waiting to be discovered. Start with Dan Flores's illuminating "Coyote America," which chronicles their extraordinary journey from the Ice Age to urban streets. For those interested in supporting coexistence efforts, Project Coyote offers science-based resources and advocacy opportunities that promote peaceful relations between humans and these adaptable survivors. The Urban Coyote Research Project provides fascinating insights into how these clever canids navigate our cities, while Predator Defense champions their vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Understanding these remarkable animals isn't just about natural history—it's about glimpsing a masterclass in survival that's been thousands of years in the making.
A salient metaphor for our times.
Great post Steve. We were just woken up in the middle of the night last week by a pack of coyotes hootin and howling about what I can only guess was their latest kill and dinner! Love mother nature💚