Episode Details

A rare coyote attack on a child in Chicago briefly pulled an overlooked urban resident into the spotlight. Though such incidents are uncommon, coyotes have quietly colonized cities across America, adapting with remarkable success to parks, railways, and suburban edges. In this episode, we explore why thousands now live in Chicago alone, how the loss of wolves and changes in human land use pushed them into urban spaces, and why their presence is not simply a threat but also a benefit. As coyotes keep rats and rabbits in check while occasionally preying on pets, the story challenges instinctive fears—and asks what coexistence with a wild predator really looks like in the modern city.

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2020/01/16/unpacking-the-rise-of-urban-coyotes