Living With Coyotes

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I wrote a detailed article in January about how to live safely with predators and other wildlife. In addition, there are several great resources available about living with coyotes, and I have links to them below. In brief, here are some things to keep in mind about coyotes (much of this holds true for living around any wildlife population):

Coyotes aren’t going away. This is a species that has adapted itself to living around humans, and history shows that our attempts to eradicate them will end in failure. There are several biological reasons for this, which you can read more about in my section on the history of the eastern coyote, but it is important that we learn to live with this animal in our midst as they are here to stay.

Keep coyotes wild! The more coyotes see humans as a potential food source (coyotes do NOT eat people!! But they eat our unsecured garbage and pet food left out around our houses, along with farm waste and unprotected small animals) the braver they will get about living around and getting close to people. Keep your house, yard, farm and garden clear of any and all garbage and waste. Secure trash in animal-proof containers (locked bins work well), don’t leave pet food out overnight, and keep small pets on leash with humans when outside at night. DON’T leave your cat outdoors at night, and be sure chickens and other small livestock have predator-proof housing (high fencing that is buried underground; locked coops and secure barns).

Be safe around wildlife. Keep your dog/small pet on leash when walking/hiking in wooded areas. If you come across a coyote (or one comes across you!), DO NOT FEED THEM! Make yourself look big, make loud noises and don’t let them approach you. Coyotes with a healthy fear of humans will be far more reticent to approach their human neighbors.

For further reading…

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/living_with_coyotes.htm#conflicts

http://easterncoyoteresearch.com/LivingWithCoyotes.html

http://www.projectcoyote.org/ProjectCoyote_FactSheet_CoyoteNews.pdf