AKRON, Ohio — A new partnership between the Akron Zoo and Summit Metro Parks is examining the behavior of coyotes that co-exist with humans in Akron’s urban environment.
The partnership is expected to help Metro Parks continue its ongoing research into coyotes and enable the zoo to better understand the behavior of coyotes interacting outside the zoo’s parameters, the agencies said in a release.
In the spring, officials from the organizations put GPS trackers on a male and female coyote after examining the animals and vaccinating them against canine health risks like distemper and rabies.
The pair then was released back into the same area where the animals were picked up.
Summit Metro Parks Chief of Conservation Mike Johnson said the program is especially beneficial because it enables the groups to communicate to residents that “with a little bit of respect and understanding” everyone can benefit from coyotes being part of the local ecosystem.
“Coyotes are an amazing species that has gone out of its way to adapt to humans and live among us peacefully,” he said.
The coyotes, believed to be members of the same family, and have made downtown Akron their preferred habitat, according to data collected from the collars.
The animals travel at night along railroad tracks and near bodies of water like the Ohio & Erie Canal, helping control the goose population, the data shows.
The female is now nursing a litter of pups at a safe, undisclosed location, the groups said, to maintain the animals’ safety.
The project is mutually beneficial, said Akron Zoo’s Senior Director of Animal Care Shane Good.
“While coyotes might not be endangered, we can learn a lot about how they have adapted to coexist with humans and possibly apply it to protecting other species here locally and around the world,” he said.
The Akron Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which facilitates research that advances scientific knowledge regarding the health, care and welfare of animals and enhances conservation efforts for wild animals.
Through the AZA, the Akron Zoo works with other accredited zoos on survival plans for 49 endangered species.
The partnership to research Akron-area coyotes is ongoing, with the groups planning to put trackers on more coyotes this fall.
