They’re called Coydogs, they’re ferocious enough to take down a moose… and they’re becoming a big problem for suburban residents on the East Coast of the United States.
Coydogs are a new species, representing a dangerous mix of three breeds – Grey wolves, coyotes, and domestic dogs. The three dominate canine breeds have been hybridizing into a new species for the better part of two centuries, since settlers first came to the East of the United States and brought domesticated dogs with them.
These Coydog were found to be approximately 82 percent coyote, 9 percent dog and 9 percent wolf, according to a study co-authored by Roland Kays, curator of mammals at the New York State Museum.
The study, from the journal Biology Letters in 2010, used museum specimens and genetic samples to show that coyotes migrating eastward bred with wolves to evolve into a larger form that has become the top predator in the Northeast, filling a niche left when native eastern wolves were hunted out of existence. The hybridization allowed coyotes to evolve from the scrawny mouse-eaters of western grasslands to robust deer-hunters in eastern forests over hundreds of years.
The genetic techniques used in the recent study allowed researchers to estimate that hybridization, in most cases, happened when humans were hunting eastern wolves to extinction, Kays said.
“The few remaining animals could find no proper mates so took the best option they could get,” Kays said.
Two hundred years later, you have what is called a Coydog. The species retains much of the size of a wolf, and the tenacity of a coyote.
What makes especially dangerous to humans is that they’ve lost much of their natural fear of humans, due to the mix of domestic dog genes. They’ve been so successful, they’re beginning to become a regular threat to dog walkers in towns throughout the Northeast.
Their cousins, western coyotes, will go far out of their way to avoid humans. But Coydogs don’t bother. In fact, they’re so used to humans and adapted to suburban life, there’s been reports of Coydogs looking both ways before crossing streets.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
And they are vicious. A woman in a neighboring town to us, lost a couple of fingers to a coydog. It killed her little dog and then went after her. The only reason why she only lost a couple of fingers is because her husband picked up a felled tree branch and started hitting the beast. It fled. Because they were unable to locate the coydog, she was forced to undergo a rabies treatment. The husband said he would be carrying a shotgun, the next time they went walking in the woods. They thought it was another dog as it was approaching them. Fortunately, it was alone, but they often hunt in pairs or even packs.
Yep. I ALWAYS carry a pistol when going for a walk, even with my big dog. We have plenty of coyotes right in our town limits, and more out in the county (in North Carolina). Carrying a shotgun isn’t always practical (I don’t want to alarm anyone), but it is a good idea. I haven’t run into a “Coydog” here, but I know they’ve been around in California, here on the East Coast, and in the mid-west for many years. With the number of people who still abandon dogs to roam wild, it is no wonder.
In 1985, after having been a Sanctuary Supervisor at Wildlife Waystation, where I worked with T. Infante, who managed the Bronx, Central Park, and Flushing Meadows Zoo systems, and also a Sanctuary Manager at Wolfhaven, in Tenino, WA, I wrote a piece entitled “Wolves And Dogs: Do The Stronger Survive? It outlined the Physiological differences between Feral and Domestic Canines. It pointed out the fact that while Wolves were Nearly Extinct in Wild during the Latter 20th Century, compared to the 6,000,000 wolves that once roamed North America, Canines were THRIVING by being SUBMISSIVE rather than AGGRESSIVE. I gave little attention to the Coyote, remarking that the Coyote is more a nuisance than a Predator, which in terms of Human contact, at that time, was generally true. There had been the occasional attack on pets and children, or adults who were alone and in the wrong place at the wrong time, but generally, they WERE nothing more than a nuisance. In fact, Rather than Breed with Dogs, they would send a female in Heat into an outlying community to lure Male dogs out away from their human protectors so that the Coyote Pack could attack, and Kill the dogs, which would then be eaten. The gradual adjustment to co-operative survival breeding among the 3 major species of Canine in North America has proven that CANINES ARE SLOW TO ADJUST, but RELENTLESS in the process. The Main reason that this Interbreeding is more terrifying than many would think, is that the physiological differences of the Wolf, primarily their ABSOLUTE NEED FOR BONE, FUR, SINEW, AND BLOOD, renders any Crossbred Animal NUTRITIONALLY INSANE, even though they do manage to stay alive. Now, with the Coyote Influence introduced to the Mix of Wolves and Domestic Canines, The Insanity and Wily Sneakiness of the Product, and the Pack mentality which is STRONG in Wolves and even the previously Cowardly Coyotes makes these animals a Truly Unfortunate, but Predictable outcome. The Truly Frightening aspect of such Cross-breeding and Inter-breeding, is brought into BRIGHT, SHARP-EDGED CLARITY when one considers the Wolverine, The Raccoon (yes, they are Canines), and the Bear. Can You Hear Me NOW?
These nuisance animals need to be eradicated. The sad part is someone is likely to try to turn them into pets
they need eradication and those who are their advocates need to be prosecuted. they are responsible for this type of beast.
Just like the muzzies, they need to be eradicated.
Interesting… Coyotes (or maybe “coydogs”) have also been a big problem in suburban Milwaukee, WI. They have attacked and killed numerous little dogs. I have personally seen them in our backyard in the early morning hours, and we live in a very citified area. They have been seen just walking down the middle of the street in early evening. Scary! And no one – no one – has done anything about them!