In the early 1900s, hunters wiped out wolves across much of the eastern United States; coyotes moved east, bred with surviving wolves, and a 2011 genome study found that eastern coyotes carry a mix of coyote, wolf and dog ancestry

Suburban neighbourhoods are now home to a unique canid, a hybrid of coyote, wolf, and domestic dog. This ‘eastern coyote’ emerged after wolf populations dwindled, allowing coyotes to move east and interbreed. These genetically distinct animals are larger and more adaptable, thriving even in urban environments, showcasing the unexpected evolutionary impact of human actions on wildlife.

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