Movement and Activity Patterns of Eastern Coyotes In a Coastal, Suburban Environment

Abstract We studied the activity of 11 and movement of 6 radio-tagged eastern coyotes (Canis latrans var.) inhabiting suburban Cape Cod, MA between June 1998 and August 2001. Coyotes were nocturnal year round except for breeding females, which were active day and night during April–June. Twenty four-hour movements of coyotes ranged up to 31.9 linear km and averaged 23.5 ± 7.3 (SD) km from 5–14 radio-fixes during each 24 hr monitoring period. There was no difference between male and female movement rates. Coyotes moved through altered open areas more than expected when compared to residential and natural areas. Coyotes inhabiting urbanized areas generally use residential areas for traveling and/or foraging.