Volunteer opportunities

We have an ongoing need for volunteers. Volunteer work is a great opportunity to support and experience research, meet like-minded people, learn stuff, and have fun.

Reporting coyotes

If you encounter a coyote, please let us know by following the instructions provided under "report a sighting". We analyzed over 8000 past reports from members of the public in this 2023 paper led by Jonathan Farr (B.Sc.). We learned that reports of bold coyotes as well as concern about them is increasing in Edmonton. Current Ph.D. student Sage Raymmond and M.Sc. student Abby Keller are continuing to monitor and benefit from your reports.

Coyotes, Prey and Birdseed Project

M. Sc. Student Abby Keller is using remote cameras with track and hair tubes to study the attraction to birdseed in residential yards by coyotes and their prey. If you would like to participate, feed birds from a suspended feeder, and have a fenceless yard that backs on a natural area, please contact us at coyotes@ualberta.ca. More info is here.

Urban Coyote Intervention Program

In 2021 and 2022, Gabrielle Lajeunesse (M.Sc.) led a study of aversive conditioning by community members to teach greater wariness to coyotes in residential neighbourhoods of Edmonton. We based the program in communities with frequent past reports of coyotes listed here and trained volunteers with online material here. With the help of 120 wonderful residents in 71 communities, we conducted coyote patrols and, when conditions warranted it, aversive conditioning on bold coyotes between February and May. Here is an interim report of our results.

Wildlife monitoring with remote cameras

Between 2018 and 2021, we placed remote cameras in parks and natural areas to monitor the presence of coyotes and other wildlife. We appreciated the help of many volunteers to interpret and label the resulting photos. The photos contributed to several publications by colleagues at the Urban Wildlife Information Network and the M.Sc. thesis of Cassie Stevenson

Thank you!

Volunteers have made tremendous contributions to our work by collecting and analyzing scat, reporting observations of coyotes, and helping to analyze remote photos. Thank you, Edmontonians, for your wonderful help with our work!