Coyotes are recent arrivals to Florida, first confirmed in the state only in the 1970s and now established statewide, filling much of the ecological role once played by red wolves, which no longer have a wild population here. Everglades National Park holds the largest named cluster at 23 sightings, with Big Cypress, “Ding” Darling, and Merritt Island keeping much of the rest of the record around South Florida and coastal protected land.
Records peak in May, more than double the summer low, likely tied to denning season when pairs are raising pups and hunting more widely to feed them. NatureServe hasn’t assigned Florida a numeric rank for the species (SNR), consistent with a population that’s still a relatively new, if now permanent, part of the state’s wildlife.
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