MARY KAY CARSON

Author of books for kids about wildlife, nature, space, weather, and more!

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Urban Coyotes

Urban Coyotes

A new addition to the acclaimed Scientists in the Field series, Urban Coyotes follows the scientists of the Urban Coyote Research Project as they track, study, and care for coyotes living among humans in one of America's largest cities, Chicago.

But that’s the thing about coyotes. They don’t necessarily do what’s typical or usual, nor what’s expected or predicted. Coyotes are rule breakers. 

The fourth largest metropolitan area in North America is home to more than nine million people and a surprisingly large population of coyotes. Join the wildlife scientists of the Urban Coyote Research Project as they carry on their twenty-five-year mission: Studying the coyotes of Cook County, Illinois, home to the city of Chicago. Explore questions such as "Where did the coyotes come from—and why?," "Are they a danger to Chicagoans?," and "Do predators create healthier urban ecosystems?" with real-life scientists in the field. Started by urban ecologist Stan Gehrt in the late 1990s when coyotes were first noticed entering the Chicago region, the Urban Coyote Research Project's mission is to help coyotes and human city dwellers live together in peace.

With stunning up-close photography by Tom Uhlman, author Mary Kay Carson offers an in-depth look into how these mystifying wild creatures, and those dedicated to studying and protecting them, navigate urban spaces.

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Wily coyotes may be living next door.

Husband-and-wife team Carson and Uhlman follow the work of the Urban Coyote Research Project, started by urban ecologist Stan Gehrt in the late 1990s, when residents of Cook County, Illinois, began reporting coyote sightings. These scientists are attempting to answer a variety of questions: Are these animals a threat to people? Could their presence lead to a healthier ecosystem? ... Carson adeptly weaves a great deal of information into her descriptions... Will leave readers with a newfound appreciation for these fascinatingly adaptive creatures.


Kirkus

In this large-format volume, readers follow urban wildlife esearchers as they locate, tag, trace, and study some of the many coyotes living in Chicago and its suburbs since the 1990s... Illustrated with many clear color photos of coyotes and researchers, this attractive volume presents information about the challenges that arise when wild animals move into urban environments—an unusual but timely topic.


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