WOLVES VS. COYOTES
Despite their inherent behavioral differences, gray wolves and coyotes share one common dietary interest: venison. Where they coexist, white-tailed deer serve as the primary winter food for both predators.
Generally, wolves are more adept at capturing adult deer, whereas coyotes are more proficient at killing newborn fawns. Coyotes also tend to be more omnivorous — meaning they eat vegetables as well as animals — and rely on scavenging deer remains, whereas wolves are more inclined to seek live prey. Even so, under the right conditions, coyotes certainly can kill adult deer. In fact, some biologists contend that coyotes are doing a good job of replacing wolves in certain areas of the Northeast.
Needless to say, if they could share the same range, wolves and coyotes would make a deadly deer-killing team. The important question is, of course, since wolves also kill coyotes when given the chance (just as coyotes kill foxes), can the two canids coexist? Or, on the other hand, as wolves re-establish themselves, and become socially organized, as they appear to be doing, will they gradually crowd out coyotes?
