Coyotes have expanded their range across North America since the 19th century, while gray wolves lost most of their historical range in the contiguous United States to extermination campaigns.

Is it true that Coyotes have expanded their range across North America since the 19th century, while gray wolves lost most of their historical range in the contiguous United States to extermination campaigns?

Unclear. Several peer-reviewed and reference sources document that coyotes dramatically expanded their range across North America beginning around 1900, and some note that extirpation of larger predators such as wolves enabled this. However, none of the placed items directly documents the loss of most of the gray wolf's historical range in the contiguous United States to extermination campaigns.

Verdict: PARTIAL LEAN · 5 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 2 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Coyotes have expanded their range to 49 states—and show no signs of stopping. | National Geographic. (n.d.). nationalgeographic.com. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/coyotes-expansion-north-america-wildlife-nation

Mapping the expansion of coyotes (Canis latrans) across North and Central America - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.759.15149

Mapping the expansion of coyotes (Canis latrans) across North and Central America. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.759.15149

Coyote diet in North America: geographic and ecological patterns during range expansion. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12299

Wolves–coyotes–foxes: a cascade among carnivores. (n.d.). cir.nii.ac.jp. https://doi.org/10.1890/11-0165.1

Christopher, N., Mark, W., & Javier, M. (2017). Initial colonization of Long Island, New York by the eastern coyote, Canis latrans (Carnivora, Canidae), including first record of breeding. zenodo.org. https://doi.org/10.15560/13.6.901