Photo credit: explorersweb.com
Coyotes, known for their resourcefulness in scavenging and hunting various small animals, have recently been observed taking a new approach to their diet: hunting harbor seals. This groundbreaking observation marks the first confirmed instances of coyotes actively preying on these marine mammals.
While we understand that land-based carnivores do hunt marine animals—often seen along coastlines globally, such as arctic wolves on Ellesmere Island—the frequency of such incidents remains largely undocumented. This raises intriguing questions about predator-prey dynamics, particularly in coastal ecosystems.
Sarah Grimes, who collaborated on this recent study, first encountered the phenomenon while exploring MacKerricher State Beach in California. She discovered several seal-pup carcasses that had been consistently dragged to the same location for consumption. The identity of the predator remained uncertain, though indications pointed toward coyotes, given the tracked evidence found nearby.
Documented Hunting Behavior
In the winter of 2023-24, motion-activated cameras provided definitive proof, capturing coyotes in the act of dragging seals away from the shoreline on three distinct occasions. Following the publication of the study, additional sightings of coyotes hunting seal pups have been recorded in various locations across California, along with reports from Washington State and Massachusetts.
These actions appear to be more than mere opportunism; the coyotes typically begin by consuming the brain, often leading to the decapitation of the seal pups. Over a span from 2016 to 2023, researchers observed the remains of over 50 pups removed from the rookery and feasted upon in nearby dunes.
Historically, seals have preferred to nurture their young in isolated islands. However, a decline in wolf and grizzly bear populations has prompted some seals to relocate to mainland sites. Recent trends indicate that seals are now seeking out more rugged and less accessible locations for pupping, potentially influenced by the presence of these land predators.
Researchers are now keen on examining whether these hunting behaviors by coyotes extend to other seal rookeries along the coastlines.
Frankie Gerraty, the study’s lead author, has expressed concern that such findings may further tarnish the public perception of coyotes. “Coyotes definitely have a public relations issue,” he remarked. “While many people harbor a disdain for coyotes, they tend to hold a deep affection for baby seals.”
Source
explorersweb.com