Media Contact:
Nadia Steinzor, Carnivore Conservation Director, Project Coyote
P: 845-417-6505 E: [email protected]
Project Coyote Announces Third Annual Coyote Awareness Week March 16 – 22, 2026
Campaign raises awareness of North America’s most persecuted wild carnivores
LARKSPUR, CA — Project Coyote announces the third annual Coyote Awareness Week, a nationwide campaign, March 16 – 22, 2026, to counter fear and misinformation about coyotes and promote ethical, science-based understanding and compassionate coexistence.
Coyotes represent the pinnacle of unethical and unscientific wildlife “management” in the U.S. This culturally iconic species faces relentless persecution tied to outdated views and decades of extermination efforts. Despite their ecological value and remarkable adaptability, coyotes remain one of the most heavily persecuted and cruelly treated wildlife species in North America. In most parts of the United States, they can be killed year-round in unlimited numbers through methods including trapping, poisoning, and wildlife killing contests that result in at least one coyote killed every minute in the United States, or an estimated 500,000+ annually, including 60,000 killed at taxpayer expense by the federal government in 2024.
Scientific research demonstrates the ineffectiveness of lethal “management” of coyotes, a practice that can actually lead to human-wildlife conflict and increase coyote populations while decreasing the beneficial ecosystem services they provide.
In both rural and urban environments, coyotes regulate rodent populations, limit disease transmission, keep communities cleaner by scavenging carrion, and keep other animals in check (e.g., racoons, skunks, and foxes), thereby increasing bird diversity and abundance.
“Changing hearts and minds about coyotes is key to fostering a more compassionate and ecologically sound future for all wildlife. Coyotes are resilient, intelligent, and family-oriented animals that deserve protection from outdated and inhumane policies,” said Camilla Fox, Project Coyote Founder & Executive Director. “That’s why they are our flagship species at Project Coyote and why we launched Coyote Awareness Week—to inspire coexistence and appreciation for America’s song dogs.” Read Camilla’s blog.
How to Get Involved in Coyote Awareness Week
The public can also participate in Coyote Awareness Week by taking the Coyote Pledge to commit to being a coyote ally and downloading the Coyote Awareness Week Toolkit to learn more about coyotes, obtain shareable resources for compassionate coexistence, and learn about other ways to take action.
Follow Project Coyote on Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok during Coyote Awareness Week to learn more about the history, ecology, and ongoing plight of coyotes. Engage with and share our posts and use the #CoyoteAwarenessWeek hashtag to help amplify awareness and inspire compassionate coexistence.
Also, join Project Coyote staff for our #CoyoteAwarenessWeek webinar, March 18, 2026, 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT: Wild Kinship: A Look Into Coyote Lives Through Two Lenses, a powerful and personal visual journey into the lives of coyotes, led by Project Coyote staff members and wildlife photographers Karin Saucedo and Mark Surls. Through two distinct photographic lenses, Karin and Mark will share intimate moments from the field. Their work reveals deeply social, adaptable, and sentient beings navigating an increasingly human-dominated world.
Learn more about coyotes and the persecution they face: Coyote Policy Factsheet.
Coyote images for media use, please credit the photographer listed in the file title.
Project Coyote is a fiscally sponsored project of Earth Island Institute, a 501c3 nonprofit. Project Coyote’s mission is to promote compassionate conservation and coexistence between people and wildlife—particularly North America’s wild carnivores—through education, science, advocacy, and coalition building. Led by scientists, educators, and wildlife advocates, Project Coyote works to change policies and perceptions to protect wild carnivores and foster ethical, ecologically sound stewardship.
Learn more at www.projectcoyote.org.
###
