It’s a dog-eat-dog world in the wild, literally. Animals prey on other animals of the same family and even cannibalize each other. It’s no wonder why one would ask if coyotes eat wolves.

Both coyotes and wolves are predators, they both have the tools to attack and defend themselves if they get into a fight, but which would dominate? This article explores the topic of: do coyotes eat wolves?

Coyotes do not eat wolves. The coyote may be a predator but it feeds on prey animals not predators like a wolf.  A coyote will lose in a fight between a wolf majority of the time. Wolves are bigger and more aggressive than coyotes. When wolves are introduced into coyote environments the coyote population declines.

Do coyotes eat wolves?

Coyotes eat meat, in fact, most of their diet consists of meat but they do not hunt, kill and eat large predators like wolves. Other similar-sized predators are seen as rivals, not as a source of food.

Coyotes don’t eat wolves, they aren’t the dominant predator between the two. Coyotes and wolves can live in the same environment, and wolves will dominate coyotes in these environments.

That being said, just because a coyote is a less dominant predator, doesn’t mean that wolves see coyotes as food, these two animals are more rivals than predators and prey.

If a coyote were to step into a wolf’s territory it would be seen as trespassing. Trespassing is not something that coyotes take lightly. Trespassing can result in a fight between the two animals.

A wolf won’t hunt to kill and eat a coyote but it will kill a coyote if they fight. Generally, wolves won’t tolerate a coyote in their vicinity.

Coyotes usually know when they are trespassing, they also recognize that the wolf is superior, Because of this, they will keep their distance from the wolf

Which would win in a fight?

When a coyote and a wolf do fight, the coyote will be at a disadvantage because of its size compared to a wolf.

Coyotes are slightly smaller than wolves, they are also much less aggressive, which works against them.

If a single coyote fights against a single wolf, then the coyote will likely win 10 percent of the time.

If a single coyote fights against a pack of wolves, then there is no chance of the coyote winning because it will be outnumbered and overpowered.

What to coyotes eat?

Coyotes are very opportunistic eaters. They are omnivores so they will eat both plant and animal matter. Many people assume that coyotes are strictly carnivores but this isn’t true. 90 percent of their diet consists of meat, the other 10 percent is plant matter, they eat:

Small mammals: Small mammals are easy prey and can be caught by one coyote on its own. The small mammals that coyotes eat include rabbits, ground squirrels, chipmunks, rodents, cats, skunks, raccoons, squirrels, and prairie dogs, click the links to read more.

Birds: Coyotes aren’t too picky about what they eat. They will eat a variety of birds including doves, pigeons, and young waterbirds

Larger prey: In order to succeed in hunting large prey, coyotes will form hunting packs and share the meat among themselves. Larger animals that coyotes hunt include bison. If necessary they will eat these animals live, click here to read more.

Small prey: Small prey animals don’t make up a large part of the coyote diet but these smaller animals do get eaten by coyotes none the less. Small prey include lizards, fish and insects.

Plant matter: When they have to, coyotes will scavenge and eat plant matter. This includes grass, carrots, cantaloupe, blueberry, peanuts, apples, pears and other plant matter. But they prefer to eat fresh meat if they can get it.

What animals eat coyotes?

It’s rare for other animals to prey on coyotes, the main threats to coyotes are wolves and cougars. Coyotes compete with other coyotes over food and territory.

Wolves and cougars will kill coyotes but they won’t always eat them afterward. Other threats to coyotes include grizzly bears, American alligators, golden eagles, Canada lynx, and black bears.

Are coyotes good for anything?

Yes, coyotes are an integral part of the ecosystem. These animals prey on smaller predators such as possums, foxes, and cats. Small predators feed on animals such as birds.

If the small predator population is not controlled by larger predators, like coyotes, they can they will greatly decrease bird populations through hunting and eating too many birds.

The presence of coyotes ensures that small predator populations are kept at reasonable levels and thus, bird populations are also maintained at reasonable levels.

Which are more dangerous, coyotes or wolves?

Wolves are more dangerous than coyotes. These two predators may share many similar traits but the wolf is more feared.

Wolves are larger and more aggressive than coyotes. Coyotes are omnivores, they don’t need to hunt and fight for each meal. Wolves hunt for each meal and thus need to be more aggressive.

Conclusion

In conclusion, coyotes do not eat wolves. Coyotes are smaller than wolves and are less aggressive than wolves. They are both predators but coyotes know to keep their distance or flee when they encounter a wolf.

Wolves are more dangerous than coyotes and wolves keep coyote populations under control thus preventing overpopulation. The chances of a coyote winning against a wolf are quite slim and coyotes know this. A wolf may not eat a coyote after it fights it.

Other threats towards coyotes include cougars, black bears, and eagles. Foods that coyotes eat include prey animals, fish, small mammals, and plant matter. They also eat smaller predators, this maintains the populations of small predator-prey.