(CLAIR | Simi Valley) — It’s a familiar sight in Simi Valley—coyotes trotting through suburban neighborhoods, slipping through fences, and scavenging near trash bins. These wild canines, once confined to open spaces, now navigate human environments with ease. But while Simi Valley residents adjust to the presence of coyotes, in other parts of the country, a different wild canine is undergoing a striking transformation: urban foxes.
Could these animals be evolving before our eyes? Are some species, like foxes, following in the footsteps of dogs and cats, inching toward domestication? And if so, could coyotes be next?
Coyotes have become permanent residents of Simi Valley, blending the instincts of a predator with the adaptability of a scavenger. They use storm drains as tunnels, cross roads like seasoned commuters, and thrive in parks, golf courses, and greenbelts.
Over time, their behavior has changed. Older generations of coyotes were wary of humans, but the younger ones are bolder. They roam streets in broad daylight, watch from sidewalks, and sometimes approach homes in search of food. Some have even been seen waiting near school grounds, drawn by the sounds and scraps of human activity.
Their diet, too, has shifted. With fewer wild rabbits and rodents, they have turned to human leftovers—garbage, pet food, and even the occasional small pet. While this makes them more reliant on human environments, it does not make them tame. Unlike foxes, which have begun showing signs of early domestication in some areas, coyotes remain opportunistic predators.
But history suggests that wild animals living near humans for long periods tend to change.
While coyotes remain wild and unpredictable, foxes in urban areas are showing behaviors that echo the early domestication of dogs and cats. In cities like London and Toronto, foxes no longer avoid humans. They raise their young in backyards, approach people without fear, and have even been caught on security cameras playfully interacting with household pets.
Perhaps more surprisingly, urban foxes are undergoing physical changes. Some have developed shorter snouts, smaller teeth, and even floppier ears—traits that appeared in domesticated dogs thousands of years ago. This mirrors the famous Russian fox experiment, in which scientists selectively bred foxes for tameness. Within a few generations, the tamer foxes had changed not just in behavior but also in appearance.
Unlike coyotes, foxes are not aggressive toward humans or pets. Instead, they are adapting in a way that suggests a future where they might become something more than just wild animals.
The idea of wild animals evolving alongside humans is not new. Wolves, once fierce predators, became dogs after scavenging near human settlements. Wild cats, drawn to early farms for their rodent populations, became the domestic felines we now keep as pets. Even pigs and horses started as untamed creatures before generations of selective pressure transformed them into animals that lived and worked alongside humans.
So what does this mean for coyotes?
If their adaptation continues, will some coyotes evolve into something more like stray dogs, coexisting peacefully with humans? Or will they always remain wild, their boldness leading to more conflicts and, ultimately, more aggressive control measures?
Unlike foxes, coyotes are pack hunters, territorial, and sometimes aggressive. These traits make domestication less likely. However, their growing familiarity with human spaces—and their increasing reliance on urban food sources—suggests that this is a possibility, but far into the future.
For now, Simi Valley residents must focus on managing their coyote neighbors—securing trash, keeping pets indoors at night, and using hazing techniques to prevent coyotes from becoming too comfortable.
But looking beyond Simi Valley, foxes may be on an entirely different path. In a few generations, could we see foxes as urban pets, much like how stray dogs once became domesticated?
