Culture
Help the National Park Service Study Coyote Poop in L.A.
Scientists want to know what the animals are eating while surrounded by lots of concrete, cars, and people.
In the wealthy suburbs of Los Angeles, coyotes follow a varied, though strictly low-carb diet. Rabbits and rodents account for the bulk of their protein intake, while native berries and fallen backyard fruit add a dash of antioxidants. On special occasions, a wayward cat makes a fine dish.
Those were the findings (albeit in more scientific terms) of a National Park Service study from 1996 and 2004 in northern L.A. County, where homes are spread out on ruddy hillsides covered in chaparral. There, coyotes traipse readily between wild and urban settings.