August 13, 2015
In the past thirty years,
coyote populations have been on the rise. You can now find them in every state,
except Hawaii, and in all major cities in the US where several
researchers are studying them.
I have heard many stories
from dog owners who have had encounters with coyotes on their walks. One dog
was actually grabbed by a coyote while on leash and taken away! Just a few
weeks ago, there was a local news story here in Florida about a woman who lost
her dog in her driveway in the middle of the day, but these stories are uncommon.
For years I’ve found that
many “lost” cats were actually taken by coyotes. This winter, my neighbor saw a
coyote running down our street in the middle of the night with a cat in his
mouth. I find coyote poo in my fenced backyard regularly. They are definitely
around.
Is this a real danger? Probably
not. Urban coyotes avoid humans and reports of attacks on humans are rare. It
may be an issue for your pets, but it depends on where you live and the amount
of food that your local coyote population has available.
Cats and dogs are not natural
prey of coyotes. Coyotes are scavengers as well as predators and do a lot for the
environment. Studies of urban coyotes
find that most of their diet consists of rats, fruit, deer, birds and rabbits.
In some areas they are actually decreasing the problematic Canada geese and rat
populations.
Check with your local Fish
and Wildlife office to find out if there are any coyote issues in your area. Be
aware of your surrounds when out walking your dog especially at dawn, dusk
and at night. That’s when coyotes are most active. Do not leave food or garbage
where they can get it, and never intentionally feed one.
If you do encounter a coyote, make yourself large, yell and throw rocks or
sticks, keep your dog on leash, back away slowly, and if you have it, use
pepper or bear spray, air horns or anything else that will scare them off.
Most coyotes want to avoid people, so let’s enjoy it if we are lucky enough
to see one, and remember to keep your pets safe when they are out and about.
