UF IFAS Range Cattle REC Special Report, June 2014 Ona Report
Over the last 30 years coyotes have expanded their range into peninsular Florida and more recently the population seems to have increased. Coyotes can be defined as an apex predator (top of the food chain) and play important roles in shaping wildlife populations, both positive and negative. Unfortunately, they are also a species that can interfere with livestock production, and are causing some early calf loss in Florida. This may be in part to the average size of eastern coyotes being 25% larger than western coyotes. In this developing study we want to answer: How often do coyote interact with cattle and cause calf loss? How does coyote behavior change during calving season? What is the occurrence of coyote calf loss across Florida? What has been the coyote population increase?