An increase in coyote sightings in Wissahickon Valley Park is welcome news. Called nature’s animal control officers, they’re essential carnivores who help to increase biodiversity, and maintain healthy ecosystems and species diversity.

Tragically, according to the Coyote Project, United States Department of Agriculture’s taxpayer funded Wildlife Services intentionally killed 68,649 coyotes nationwide in 2023, the most heavily targeted species. The department has a relentless hold over wildlife management with a budget of $286 million.  It is entrenched here in Philadelphia, where since 2001 over 5,600 deer have been killed with ruthless efficiency. 

The urbanization of the coyote is occurring in many major cities. In 2019, the Pennsylvania Game Commission gave a talk at Valley Green Inn discussing ways to be a better neighbor and how to live in harmony with coyotes in our parks and neighborhoods. According to the commission, for the most part, they are not dangerous to people. Denver, Colorado, has been called a trendsetter when it comes to human-coyote peaceful coexistence.  It’s our responsibility to be accurately informed about the wildlife we share our parks with and the policies that allow us to peacefully coexist through education, biological science and advocacy. 

Yes, coyotes’ diet includes deer. It should be of special interest to us here in Philadelphia that a study investigating the effect coyotes had on the survival of deer fawns by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources at the Savannah River site showed that there was a 70% total deer fawn mortality with coyotes being responsible for about 80% of those mortalities. Tom Kershner, manager at the nearby Gwynedd Preserve, verified predation on deer fawns by coyotes.  

Whether deer or coyotes, we must defend them to preserve our connection with nature, our integrity, and sense of responsibility.

Bridget W. Irons, Cofounder, Philadelphia Advocates for the Deer