I was surprised to find out that most of our large cities in the United States are homes to “urban” coyotes (and I don’t mean the pro hockey team). At first that struck me as being just a little bit scary. But now that I understand about these animals, I think it is sort of cool.
First of all, coyotes typically don’t want anything to do with humans. (That’s a relief.) And they aren’t too interested in our domestic cats or dogs — although feral cats would consider them a natural predator — and tiny dogs shouldn’t stray far from their owners.
I’ve seen several videos from urban homes and businesses showing coyotes in places where people are. Most of the time the people aren’t even aware that they are there. And if they get spotted, either the coyotes just stay put or they retreat to some sort of cover.
slate.com
Did you know that coyotes mate for life? There have been studies that have shown the same couples together for ten years. Only if one of them dies does the other find another mate.
Coyote dens usually consist of mom and dad, another grown offspring or two, and a litter of pups. And did you know that moms are able to somehow change the number of pups she has based on the availability of food or the competition for territory? That’s why it typically doesn’t do any good to try to euthanize or relocate some of the coyotes from urban areas because moms can adjust their litter sizes to make up for those lost.
So where do they make their homes in the city? Well, they like green spaces, of course, but they aren’t too picky as long as they are well-hidden. They are known to make their dens in culverts, under bridges or overpasses, in abandoned buildings, in basements, etc. In fact, it was reported that they even found a coyote den one time in the Soldier Field complex in Chicago.
knowyourneighbors.net
I mentioned that feral cats don’t want anything to do with coyotes. That’s why they steer clear of their territories. As a result, songbirds are able to thrive in urban parks and arboretums – a plus for keeping pesky insects at bay.
Although Coyotes don’t typically feed on adult Canada geese, their eggs are apparently pretty yummy. This activity tends to keep the goose population in check – something the owners of golf courses and sports fields are grateful for.
And although they might dig around in open trash cans or compost piles, coyotes would rather have fresher things to eat — like rats! Yummy. Or fruit that has fallen to the ground.
Coyotes naturally hunt during the daytime hours. So spotting one in an urban setting during the day is not necessarily a sign of illness or aggression. They seriously do not want anything to do with humans.
Unless we feed them. Sometimes people feed wildlife intentionally – even though most management personnel highly discourage it. But sometimes we innocently leave food where coyotes can get to it – dog or cat food on the porch, birdseed around a birdfeeder, fruit on the ground under our trees. If they begin to expect food from us and don’t get it, coyotes can become aggressive. Then the only solution is for animal control to “lethally remove them” from the area.
So how do you safely walk your dog in a coyote’s world?
- Keep your dog on a 6-foot leash. No retractable leashes.
- If you know of coyote sightings in an area, avoid it. In the spring and summer when pups are small, coyotes are very defensive about their homes. Just avoid them.
- Stick to trails and open paths and avoid areas with thick brush.
- Avoid walking your dog at sunrise and sunset hours when coyotes are most like to be out hunting.
If you’re interested in reading more about these unusual animals, here are https://urbancoyoteinitiative.com/10-fascinating-facts-about-urban-coyotes/a couple of websites I found.
How to Safely Walk Your Dog Near Coyotes
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