Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I read on National Geographic that the coyote population is spreading across the USA. Apparently, there are coyotes in every state including Florida (originally from the western states, they are now spreading east). Whats everyones thoughts on coyotes competing with the Florida Nile monitor population. I'm not an expert on coyotes, but I think they are around the same size and weight as the larger Nile monitors (about 30 pounds). They appear to consume live prey of similiar size as well. Also, does anyone know of any confrontations between Nile monitors and feral dogs and cats in Florida? I read references to the feral cat population declining in areas where the monitors are found, but no actual incidents of monitors eating cats where mentioned.

The last few years..
I read a report by the game commission years ago about the coyote population and how hard it is to keep track of them. It was mentioned in the early 90s or late 80s that at that point 1 coyote in 30 years was road killed and reported, they say its a sign of the animals intelligence, who knows how true that is.
Coyotes have been here in the east for a long time, just the lack of larger predators natural to our part of the US allows them to take advantage and spread so well. Who knows when the last mountain lion was seen in PA, except in the most mountainous, least human inhabited areas. According to our own game commission in most areas the timber rattler is the largest natural predator left, what a crying shame. They are now considering very very stiff laws in PA about native herps, soon only a few rattler permits will be issued, and the copperhead will be added to that permit. I see no problem with this myself to protect them, but protecting them from those who kill them out of ignorance and protection of loss of habitat should be every bit as important.
I dont think the nile monitors are a problem, it seems that a few scientists and the press want to blow it all out of proportion to make headlines and MONEY. At least the coyotes are natural to this country.

hmmmmmmmmmmm how funny, the lack of road killed coyotes is a sign of their intelligence. hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

What a good laugh. We must have really dumb coyotes as the poor things are stupid as a stone and are getting killed on the roads in mass.

There is a some bit of accurancy to the intelligence thing. As we also have city coyotes that live in the middle of town. They learn to use corridors, safe pathways like culverts etc. that is until the city fix those and not allow animals and trasients to use them, then they get hit(both the coyotes and transients). Cheers

I think it was refering to how few are killed on the road set an example of their inteligence. Hahahahahahahaha.

gueezzzzzzzzz! cheers

and getting dumber by the minute. First, how many niles are actually caught? what size are they? What size are the niles that are seen by people? real size, not make believe size.

Then take that reality, the actual size of the monitors in question, not the size of the largest nile ever known to mankind or varanid kind. Then the real sized nile thats being found and you can tell what its feeding on.

The average sized nile in Africa and the averaged size nile in South Fla. may or may not be the same. Size depends of food source. Also the averaged sized nile in Africa does not eat house cats. Cats eat niles(smaller niles, say three foot and down) I have seen a little cat take down without problem a one meter monitor. The cat simply did what cats do, it pounced on the monitor, pinned its head, then bit it at the base of the skull, end of that story.

Are the niles in Fla, over three foot, if so how much? four foot? have any five or six footer found.

Which then brings up another reality. As niles age, they change their prey type to slower eaiser to catch items, like clams,snails and crabs and other such things, as they age, their teeth become dull and rounded to aid in crushing of these prey items. When they are small niles have sharp pointy teeth to aid in catching and holding squirmy prey items.

Common sense will indicate that smaller individual monitors do not have the jaw power to crush clams/crabs/snails, etc. So they have to catch more normal monitor prey. This is common with many raparian varanids.

What I am getting at is in most monitor books and some even have pics of the skulls. Do adult Fla. niles have rounded or pointy teeth? This would be easy to check.

Also, What I am getting at is, niles are not Komodos. They feed on crustasions as adults. They are not feeding on fido and kittypoo as adults. Of course I am sure exceptions do happen. Like fido or kittypoo gets hit by a car and as they lay on the side of the road(sleeping)rotting. Of course any monitor could not pass that up.

Of course most only mention the possibilities. The reality is, its ten thousand times more likely that any of these people or their pets will be harmed in an auto accident, or a lightening bolt, then harmed by a nile. Guezz, man will not even limit autos driving around in areas where kids play. But we will play heck on a few medium sized lizards. Cheers or not

Well, I actually did not mean to bring up the Nile monitors in Florida controversy again. I was just curious how large Nile monitors interacted with other feral and wild animals. I suppose that I could see a young monitor (under 3 feet) being killed by a cat, but a large adult male should have no problem taking down a small or medium cat and surely would not fear the cat as a predator. Have you witnessed any interactions between large monitors (of any species) and other predators? I actually support the Nile monitors living in Florida. My thoughts on the lunatic biologist who spearheaded this effort to eliminate them (for his own personal fame, glory, and paycheck) were explained in an earlier post. For some reason, that post has apparently been deleted. I agree with you, this nile monitor situation in Florida is stupid. The media must be really bored to be spending so much time on it.

Your kinda missing the point, reread my post. There is more to it.

You want to "suppose something" You suppose a large nile. Are there any large niles being found in Fla? that is the quesion. ALso I doubt very much any sized nile would tackle an adult cat or even a kitten, mammals protect their young and large dogs do not want to be around a mother cat protecting her kittens. Remember the rounded teeth comment. Rounded teeth do not make good killing tools.

I keep Lacies. I have a large male. Over 2 meters. My sister inlaw wanted to feed some newborn kittens to my male. I said heck no. But I was curious as to how George would react. Consider, George will take a full grown rabbit with no hesitation. Attacking it mercilessly. At the time he was in a temporary cage that had a wire top. I placed a kitten on the top. He normally attacks anything that hits the top. He went for the kitten, then smelled it. As soon as he smelled it. He totally lost his mind and just sat there and hissed and hissed and was scared out of his gourd.

Once I fed a hatchling woma(deformed) to my perenty. She was about four feet long at the time. She took one smell of that snake and she lost her mind too. She tried so hard to get out of the cage, I thought she was going to hurt herself. So I removed the snake. She finally relaxed, then as soon as she smelled where the snake touched, she would totally freak out again and again.

Both of those species are razor toothed adults. They both could have easily killed the snake or kitten. But thats not what stopped them. Its something about instint. They smelled something that could harm them, so their first responce is to get out of town quickly.

So all this crap about niles eating all this and that, is pure speculation, including on your part. Your being as bad as this biologist your speaking of. I am surprised they didn't speculate that niles "could" eat baby manatees(dugongs) I can see it now. A pack of niles hiding in a lettuce patch(isn't that what manatees feed on?

About that biologist, I doubt very much its about money. Short term contracts such as those are normally very very low paying(to many people wanting to do it for free) You will make more money working at walmart or petco or the gas station. About Fame, hmmmmmmmm what was his name? Don't look it up, what was his name? how famous is that?

You see, your being just like the reporter/s that are actually the ones who are passing out poor information and are most likely making more out of this, then it actually is. Cheers

The scientist's name is Todd Campbell. I didn't mention it earlier because I thought that perhaps that was the reason my earlier post was deleted. I'm suprised that your 6 foot monitor did not attack the kitten. I assumed that a little creature like that would have been quickly shredded. Have you observed any interactions between any of your larger monitors and adult cats and dogs? I sometimes take my 4.5 foot Nile outside on a leash. I noticed that he looks around nervously whenever he hears a dog bark (searching for the source of the noise I assume). He keeps a close eye on the birds that are in the trees overhead as well. He has never been around a cat, so I'm not sure how he would react to one, though he is of similiar size to a medium one. Have you ever observed a cat attack a large monitor (5 or 6 foot long at least)?

Few medium to large lizards and cats/kittens. Every 3-4ft albig Ive seen around kittens or cats are nervous and try to avoid them, around 4ft or so they try to ignore them, or are jumpy at their presence. After about between 5-6ft plus the albigs seem to ignore the cats or kittens, but if the cat or kitten jumps at them they jump nervously or tail whip them as they seem to be nothing but an annoyance to them. They will smell them as to see what they are, but do not show any interest in eating them, if fact they show respect and avoid cats.
I know someone who showed a large nile (5ft or so)a very small kitten, the nile appeared to be practically drooling, he rushed it, took one sniff then freaked out running away in terror almost knocking himself out. The kitten was shown to several male and female red, and B&W tegus, the tegus looked interested until they sniffed the kitten, then ran for dear life, the lizards would not come out of hiding for a while after smelling the kitten. The see a little fuzzy hamless creature until they smell it, then they realize that a cat is a very effective predator, and avoid it.
Like FR said about large dogs avoiding mother cats, Ive seen multiple instances where large dogs went after or cornered housecats, they learned their lessons fast, dont mess with a cat. In fact I know a vet that told me she sees alot of the results with cat/dog encounters and fights. She stated most people think of cats as cute little fuzzy housepets, not for what they really are, she said that 9 out of 10 times when a cat and dog fight the dog needs some serious medical care, the cat in most cases has bruises or scrapes at most.
Dogs, coyotes, wolves etc travel in packs, why try to kill or eat a live healthy canine, they wont, they know better I think than to even try.
Im sure in any area where medium to large monitors come from, anywhere near people, that dead dogs and cats are a meal enjoyed well, but large monitors, cats, and canines avoid each other intentionally.
Im sure also if the average dog owner in FLA saw a small 3ft nile basking in the back yard near the family dog they would report it as the lizard tried to eat their dog. Just like the average measurement on large lizards and crocodilians seems to be estimated way higher than reality. A friend has a reptile rescue, he goes to pick up many many "giant" 4-7ft iguanas that are 1-3ft long at most, and monitors such as bosc and niles as well tegus that owners say are 3-6ft long, when you get there the animal is anywhere from 1-3ft if your really lucky. Crocodilians are the worst one for owners to exagerrate on size, he was offered or given many many supposedly 6-8ft alligators, they ranged in reality from 1-3ft with one being almost 5ft, one being 4ft, and one truthful owner and a 7ft female.
Makes you wonder about reports on 5-6ft niles in FLA, and how many credible sightings of any over 3ft there are, also how many read an article and saw an iguana, and called it a nile monitor?

Okay, I do find the whole thing about niles tackling cats, kittens, dogs and puppies very very funny for one reason. Most monitors and tegu's come from the lands of small, large and medium cat species and dog species. Whether wild dog or wolf populations, everywhere you find monitors, you'll find cats and dogs of some kind.. (Feral populations of cats in Australia I'm not sure how much they count but we'll leave that alone) Its a no brainer to think that a Nile or Albig, or other even larger monitor may run in terror from the scent of a cat...even if its a captive hatched individual.. A 6 ft nile is a snack to a lion, leopard, cheetah, caracal, painted dog, hyena, etc etc. They weigh maybe one third what a painted dog does... and barely come to a sixteenth of the weight of a lion. Niles may be predators but they are in the land of serious predators who are ten times more capable than any monitor of killing large and dangerous prey.

Tegus, South American, also land of cats of all sizes who'd be preying on them. Lacies.. Australia.. land of dingos who would prey on them...and I'm not going to even get into the eagle species that would be preying on the various monitors which is why they're wary of birds. We aren't talking height of the foodchain animals here but just another step on the ladder. Niles are more egg, small mammal, crustacean, fish, lizard and frog eaters than they are big mammal eaters. Small mammals are mice, rats, dwarf mongoose, etc, not something that weighs 10 lbs and is often more than a match for the individual. A 10 lb cat is more than a match for a 60 lb dog. The mountain lion.. at 80-150 lbs can bring down a moose or an elk all by itself. Cats are lethal when hunting. The mountain lion itself has almost a 90% successful hunting rate. Its small wonder that monitors of any kind would have a fear of even a very small cat. I wouldn't bet on a kitten surviving a very very hungry monitor but something that could afford the luxury of not needing to risk itself.. would far rather run than fight.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
5.11.Leopard geckos (1.2 Blizzards (Caine, Phoenix, and Mirage), 0.2 Tangerine Albinos (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short, and Casper), 1.0 Tremper Albino (Mycah), 0.3 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, and Aris), 1.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas), 1.0 Full Stripe Chocolate Tremper Albino (Discord), 0.1 pastel (Raven) and 1.2 Normals)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros) (R.I.P. November 18, 2005)
13 rats (plus pups)
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Ashe and Hercules)

Where I live it is city and mostly buildings and houses in Southern California. But you do have your open areas that are inhabited by th cayotes. They are actually growing not only in population but in size, up to 100lbs! They have taken advantage of the rabbit populations and are actually eating cats and dogs on a regular basis. They used to avoid people and the pets of people, but this is changing. They are loosing this instinct as it is not a productive instinct or gene, so they change. Many have snatched small dogs from owners on a walk, some have actually pulled the dog out of the house using doggy door. One pit bull was atacked and killed about 8 of them, later to die from his wounds. I had one come up to me and my girlfriend a few years ago in the early mourning, she had a sugarglider in her shirt and he must have smelled it or something. He was maybe 2 feet from us and about the size of a small german sheapard, there where about 6 others on the hill above waiting, peaking over the hill, very scary, he would not run when I swung a 4' level at him, he just backed off slowly, fallowing us to the car.
One last scenario is my parents home has no cats in the area due to the cayotes, they had their cat get out, never had been out. It was found alive with its intestines riped half way out, it later died after an operation and was believed to be attacked by cayotes and somehow they where scared off.

I've got a 9' argus that eats a pitbull every other day too.

--Robert

You should start to get the idea, why I laugh at you. Your new.

If you read the paper, you understand the paper has archives. What your saying now, about the city coyotes, was said, oh 20 and 30 and 40 and 50 years ago. THE SAME EXACT THING. Look it up. Its called a wifestail.

Guess what, they are still the same coyotes. I would love for you to join the real world and actually weight and measure one of those monster coyotes. You may be shocked.

Also, yes, coyotes consume dogs and cats on a regular basis. In reality, we rural desert folks, cannot let our dogs and cats go outside, as they soon become coyote bait. Oh except black cats, they last longer, and when dogs pack up. They last longer that too.

Which brings us back to the whole nine yards(why isn't it ten) Coyotes would have no problem consuming niles of any old size. Reason is simple. Niles are cold blooded, when cold, they are easy prey. Coyotes would dig them up(like they do some many of their prey items) and have a nice winter meal. Heck, coyotes would have no problem with a hot nile, hahahahahaha. Something to do with that pack thing.

I often wonder this thought, in my trips to Australia. They have an introduced canine, the dingo. It was brought in by the early settlers(asian aboridginals) A dingo hunts in packs, is larger then coyotes, yet, does not consume cats. Whats that deal all about? Cheers

Is it that easy for a coyote (or any canine) to take down a large monitor (when warm)? I would have thought that an adult Nile would be able to defend itself well against most canines (except when facing a pack, that completely changes the situation). As far as cats go, I doubt the average house cat would want to mess with a monitor of equal weight or larger. I have read that dingo packs are sometimes able to take down lace monitors, though I've never heard of a lone dingo being able to accomplish much. What if we go a step further and discuss a water monitor versus a large canine. Healthy water monitors can attain a similiar weight to that of a dog/dingo/coyote. I doubt a canine would be able to kill a large water monitor on its own.

I think a dog's stamina would easily outlast a monitor's, and once the monitor is tired, it's game over.

--Robert

I understand you think this and that. But the problem is you must not have experience with these things.

An adult dingo could kill an adult lacies in seconds. The good thing is, lacies climb trees very well and dingos don't.

Do you know that in indo, they commonly hunt monitors with dogs. In fact, one varanid author, used old toothless dogs, so the monitors would not be killed.

The more obvious point is, only one monitor considers animals the size of an average dog as prey, and thats the Komodo Dragon. Other then that, the monitors are the prey and dogs are the predator.

I don't think your view of monitors is very realistic. I have adult lacies. I could kill one very easily bare handed. It simply would not be a problem. But to kill a medium sized or larger dog bare handed, would take some doing. Dude, there only lizards. Cheers

They use dogs to hunt bears and lions as well. This does not make them preditors of them.

Like FR said, coyotes are not suddenly becoming super predators that will steal your children in the middle of the night (and if they do maybe Meryl Streep will play you in a movie). They are clever devils and have always been very effective predators. Coyotes are very wiley, just like in the cartoon. In fact the road runner and coyote cartoons are far more accurate and informative than your silly posts.

Ok, all of you that do not believe in the 100lbs Cayote are obviously not living here. This was not an assumption from an article, it was based on seeing them at least close to this size. I had a great dane before and a mastif/pit mix at 110lbs and am a good judge of weight. These are not your typical cayotes, I have seen black and white ones, these are not your cartoon type (but nice to know you have made it to that level, you can actually understand a cartoon)., I am sure these have crossed with dogs to gain this size and these colors.
The habitat is Camp Pendleton/San Lois Rey River/Gajome Park area, if any of you smarty pants want to look into it. Also a nile monitor was spoted in a lake area in San Diego County this last month...seen a pic on the news but cant remember the lake, maybe someone knows?

Sorry I did not explain enough and opened the door for these informationless coments hahahahahar har har har!

A 100lb coyote?!? As likely as the monitor world being flooded with captive bred melinus. Sheesh......
Link

Maybe in a dream or on a movie. How about this, Ill ask some friends who live in Camp Pendelton, also who have lived there over the years.
They told me the coyotes they saw were nowhere near 50lbs even.

My father used to live in Texas in the 40s and Southern CA when there was still undisturbed land, he told me years ago about driving for miles and seeing thousands of coyotes hanging dead from almost every fence post, mainly because they were reputed to harass livestock, most times those cases were actually someones dog on the loose.

Well you are looking in the wrong places, undesturbed land does not have many large dogs to breed with now does it. They did not evolve by themselves this big, it took inbreeding with dogs of this size. It also takes food that can substain a large size, ie rabbits in very large numbers. No one cares about your dad or your marine friends you made up or the fact that you let your monitor go into the snow. I see regular cayotes that are normal more often here, it was actually a few times seeing large ones.

I think you are outspoken just to feel smart and have a stance, even if you don't even believe it yourself. I have got into debates with you before and being from the city myself, close to people to comunicate with, I can honestly say you need to get out and socialize my friend. Attacking me, because I am one of those that does not try to fit in the mold (on this forum), does not make Frank and the others like you anymore than before you trashed my comments.

100 lb coyote - your looking at dogs or wolves ( ha ha ) Ive hunted and trapped coyotes for many years and a 50 pounder is BIG
If you your going to make a statement be a little honest they just dont get any where near that size

Did you read my other posts?, they are this big and yes they might be dogs, at least partially. Funny someone knows of Cayotes the group in their neck of the woods and they become experts. I have no reason to lie about this, it means nothing to me, what do I look like I need someone to go "wow really! they are that big!", it makes no difference to me...I am amazed at how many know it alls get on the monitor forum and refuse to believe anything...I am sure you guys believe the twin towers attack was actually a conspiracy and did not really happen lol.

The thing that I figured happens on this forum is not too much information with no proof or visa versa it is just plain ignorance and lack of common sense. Someone says something and everyone has to say how stupid that sounds without even knowing themself the truth, but it sounds good for some reason to despute anyways.

Being a resident of Huntington Beach all my life and near the wetlands (home of atleast one pack of coyotes) I have never heard of a 100 pound coyote. Let alone seen one! I've seen coyotes down in Ladera Ranch and they have all been normal size. Let alone very shy and run away from humans. Even the news channels on tv show footage of coyotes (every now and then) and they are all normal size. I have friends who live in Beach Walk (neighborhood Community) and there is sightings of coyotes in there with all being normal size.

Back to the HB Wetlands. I lived up against the wetlands for 5 years and the local pack would cruise by nightly at certain times during the year. Everytime you would stick your face over the fence to look at them and flash a light on them they would run off almost immediately. Not one would growl or anything. Just run off! They all show the standard shy behavior of a coyote. Certain parts of the wetlands get quite a bit of people foot traffic too and I have never heard of an incident with coyotes.

As far as cats being prey.... Its quite possible. There has to be a reason why there are so many signs up for missing cats around here. But I have a list of other reasons why so many signs are up (not gonna divulge it to avoid a new war). I lost a cat myself living on the wetlands, but I only have about 20% thought on thinking it were the coyotes.

Back to my original question. By no means am I an expert on coyotes but I want to know WHERE IN SOCAL DO YOU LIVE OR ARE THESE SIGHTINGS HAPPENING????? Right now they sound like the 3 foot New York sewer rats I hear so much about.

I have seen cayotes up in your are and true they are typical of most cayotes, I used to live in Long beach, Ca never to see any up there at least winess them myself or hear much about them. I am in Oceanside, Ca. It is actually big news out here and have witnessed large ones in central city area recently and about ten years ago I witnessed them in an area bordering Camp Pendleton.

Ninety seven Niles were reported as trapped in three years (2003-2006). I wonder how many feral cats would have been caught during that time, with the given funding (none, because the Niles ate all the cats, hahahaaa).

The original post in this thread suggests that coyotes and Niles are of similar size when grown. I don't know what size the coyotes in Florida are, but there's no way a Nile, regardless of tooth type, could tackle what the coyotes along the western Gulf Coast and north into Arkansas might. You could mistake them for German shepherds on the side of the road. Ben

Coyotes, they look alot like small wolves or the size of female german shepards. In fact a few nights ago one ran across in front of me, when it reached the other side of the road it stopped then walked casually through the grass field. Coyotes are notorious for (according to deer hunters, the average seems to have little intelligence, lol) supposedly killing lots of deer, they run them down (supposedly in winter, deer season) and kill /eat them. Personally I think deer that survive being shot or severely injured are most probably finished off by a pack of coyotes. Back to the average deer hunter, they live on urban legends, and alcohol, also look for excuses to shoot anything alive or not in the field (obvious by the huge number of cows, people, horses, birds, dogs, etc that are shot every deer season Im sure anywere its a big event).

" First, how many Niles are actually caught? what size are they? What size are the Niles that are seen by people? real size, not make believe size. " FR

I`d like to know that myself. Who`s catching them and how`s it being documented ? Sure I hear story`s but where`s the proof behind the story. Living here I can safely say that anyone coming here wanting catch one will go home empty handed. I'm not saying that there's none but don`t hold your breath waiting to see one and the same with the coyotes. These are probably the two least environmental worries here. Ernie Eison

" I read references to the feral cat population declining in areas where the monitors are found, but no actual incidents of monitors eating cats where mentioned." R ak47

No way.If anyone's seeing less strays around I know where they can find them .In the middle of the street pancaked.The increase in traffic here is stupid. Ernie Eison

" Wildlife biologist Tom Allen, who is doing his own study on the city's burrowing owls, said monitor lizards have virtually no natural predators in the Cape, so they're able to eat and breed to their hearts' content. " News paper report

I don`t know if this guys statement was doctored or taken out of context or what.It`s hard to say just how much the words are changed . But if this is what this guy really thinks. I would love to hear him explain how foxes ,raccoons, alligators ,snakes ,birds, otters, large fish ,cats and dogs ,possums wouldn't`t all make a meal out of a hatchling Nile or raid nest .All the predators mentioned are thriving in the Cape Coral and unlike the Niles their numbers can be seen. The only thing I see breeding to their hearts content is the burrowing owls.That are supposedly so threatened. I used to go in front of my shop located in the busiest most developed part of the Cape and feed them at night. I would throw them mice and before you know it there would be 20 of them crowding around like pigeons in Central park. Ernie Eison

I agree with you regarding the stupidity of the whole Nile monitor eradication effort. I made a post earlier (that for some unknown reason has been deleted) explaining my thoughts on the situation. The biologist (whos name I won't mention this time for fear of another deleted post) who is behind this whole movement needed a job and a source of funding. So he created all this hype about Nile monitors to secure funding and give himself a purpose in life. You should read some of this guy's stupid quotes that have been published about monitor lizards. I guess even idiots can become scientists now. Doesn't give you much faith in the scientific community does it? Now this scientist has run out of funding and hopefully won't be given any more.

The average scientist, much like the average person, probably has little understanding of how these reptiles work. They see a large lizard with sharp claws, sharp teeth (until old age), etc. etc. etc. and they automatically think that it is the alpha predator.

nt

np

nt

and yes, it's especially when they cross with dog species. Around here in NY it happens a lot. I've seen all sorts of wild dogs running around, and I've seen a coyote that was also very close to the size of an adult german sheppard, but less bulky (so most likely not 100Ibs, but large). I think that there's a very good possibility of a 100Ib coyote, but it doesn't happen on a regular basis.

There are as many 9 foot argus as 100 lb coyote packs roaming SoCal, attacking groups of people. This is just total B.S.

Sure it's theoretically possible, but that does not make it true.

--Robert

I was just stating that I have seen large coyotes (around upstate new york), and I know that they exhist. They wouldn't attack a person though. I am extremely confident in that. Just like the monitors.

"There are as many 9 foot argus as 100 lb coyote packs roaming SoCal, attacking groups of people. This is just total B.S.

Sure it's theoretically possible, but that does not make it true."

A nine foot argus is obviously not possible, but if there was one it would make news across the world. A 100lb cayote on the other hand is possible, but no one ever said they are attacking groups of people, where did you get THAT B.S.?
So how does theoretically possible= B.S.?

I think you would have to breed several generations of large heavy dog into a coyote to get near 100lbs. Coyotes arent wolves after all, if it were a timberwolf they can get up to 180lbs, very big. This is about coyotes, not wolves though. It was mentioned in another responce about dingos in Australia being much larger than coyotes, they are still not near 100lbs.
Coyotes are very adaptive and can live around us very well, because they dont come after and kill us, common sense says that (rabies can changes things up).
I can remember being out west a bit in fall years ago, trying to sleep out in the middle of BFE in the mountains, almost every night as soon as it got dark you were surrounded by coyotes, seemed like hundreds of them everywhere, you could even hear them within 12ft in the bushes, after a few nights they seemed to have just moved on, I guess after they realized we had no food for them, we were of no interest.
There were coy-dogs at one time nearby myself years ago, packs of them, reality of the matter was that all a farmer needed was a lone single large dog running their property and the coydogs and wilddogs stayed away completely, eventually they were killed off. I believe that a large coyote is around 45lbs. In colder climates wolves and coyotes get larger and heavier than say their South West relatives, has to do with food sources. Here in winter (sometimes, its exagerated more than reality) they will hunt deer in packs, sick, dieing, or shot deer.

How do you know this? If you have looked Southern California so extensively that you have seen everything here...did you see any Barefoot Geckos?

You are the only one who has ever seen these.
Ive seen plenty of coyotes in person, all over the country, none are even near 60lbs. Of course for someone whos spent their life in the city and believes that small parks and grass lots in Southern CA are wildlife refuges, I guess they would believe that coyotes are 100lbs and come after people and their dogs in broad daylight.
Have you ever weighed a medium sized sled dog (skinny, strong, and closely related to wolves), also a noticeable bit bigger than coyotes are, they are 60-90lbs depending on which breed they are or combination there-of. In fact somewhere I have some coyote scalps, compared to a Northeastern red fox about 2-3 times the size. In fact a good friends little red devil pitbull is 46lbs and every bit as tall as any large coyote Ive seen, just shorter in length than a few.
Again another example of estimated, exagerated weights, not real weights.

Many people have seen them this size, huh who are you talking about the small group on this forum?
46 lbs pit? Sounds like a great size for fighting, does he fight them? We have 130lbs pits here in California, then we have your thin, muscular 40lbs that usually are bred for fighting. I know my dogs, and sizes so no this is not a mistaken size. In your neck of the woods it takes the leaner canine to survive and catch food, but with our overpopulation of rabbits and human food? I take it they can get away with this size. But honestly, most are your normal Cayotes with these few exceptions.
But with your statement on grass fields being the only habitat in Southern California shows how ignorant you really are. You don't believe me, make a new thread on this about no habitat in Southern California, so I can post some nice habitat shots for yyou. Go post some more pictures of your monitor in the snow otherwise.