Conflicts With Coyotes
Q: I have seen coyotes on my property. Is this normal?
A: Coyotes have adapted to many areas and chances are if you live in a rural, semi-rural area, or are adjacent to a natural area, then you are likely sharing your space with coyotes. Many people have coyotes in the area where they live and never see them. Like all wildlife, we share our spaces with those that have the potential for conflict. Here are some important tips to prevent these conflicts:
*Do Not Feed- Feeding coyotes, whether directly or indirectly, can habituate them to people and make them reliant on this food.
*Remove Food Sources- It is also important to remove anything that could provide a food source for coyotes. These animals are resourceful and opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat garbage, pet food, and even garden vegetables. It is also a good idea to remove bird feeders as they attract birds and small animals, which coyotes feed on.
*Keep Pets Safe- Pets left unattended are a potential food source for animals like coyotes and fishers, so keep your pets safe. For smaller dogs and cats this means keeping them indoors, staying with them while outside, or keeping them in a fully enclosed area like a dog run. For larger dogs it is good to keep them contained in your yard and keep them leashed while walking to prevent them from encountering wildlife.
*Discourage Bold Coyotes- Occasionally you may experience a coyote that is bold and not very wary of people. If you encounter such an animal it is important to discourage this behaviour by making noise, waving your hands, clapping, shouting, and/or spraying it with a hose.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Wildlife, especially coyotes, foxes, and fishers, come closer to people’s properties—along the perimeter of houses—in winter. This is where heat from our homes escapes, melting snow and creating trail ways for mice, squirrels and other small animals that are the primary diet of these larger species. It does not mean these animals are stalking your family. In fact, they do not pose a threat to people.
Q: I have a farm and am concerned about coyote predation on my livestock. What can I do?
A: It is important to remove any dead livestock from fields, as this will attract coyotes. Guard dogs, llamas, and donkeys are good methods of deterring coyotes and protecting livestock.
Q: Will trapping or killing the coyotes work?
A: Coyotes are very intelligent, wary animals that are very unlikely to be trapped. In fact, many say that trapping and killing only removes the less intelligent members of the population, leaving the best-adapted animals. Under normal circumstances, generally only the dominant coyote pair breeds and produces one litter a year. Killing coyotes disrupts the social order of the pack and the population structure, causing more coyotes to breed and have larger litters. Coyotes will also fill into vacated habitat from adjacent areas. Thus, eradication efforts frequently lead to increases in local coyote populations.
In addition, removing one or a dozen animals will never solve a problem, as it is normal for coyotes to inhabit these areas. By using the safeguards outlined above, people and coyotes can co-exist, as they have been doing in many areas for decades.
A: Coyotes have adapted to many areas and chances are if you live in a rural, semi-rural area, or are adjacent to a natural area, then you are likely sharing your space with coyotes. Many people have coyotes in the area where they live and never see them. Like all wildlife, we share our spaces with those that have the potential for conflict. Here are some important tips to prevent these conflicts:
*Do Not Feed- Feeding coyotes, whether directly or indirectly, can habituate them to people and make them reliant on this food.
*Remove Food Sources- It is also important to remove anything that could provide a food source for coyotes. These animals are resourceful and opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat garbage, pet food, and even garden vegetables. It is also a good idea to remove bird feeders as they attract birds and small animals, which coyotes feed on.
*Keep Pets Safe- Pets left unattended are a potential food source for animals like coyotes and fishers, so keep your pets safe. For smaller dogs and cats this means keeping them indoors, staying with them while outside, or keeping them in a fully enclosed area like a dog run. For larger dogs it is good to keep them contained in your yard and keep them leashed while walking to prevent them from encountering wildlife.
*Discourage Bold Coyotes- Occasionally you may experience a coyote that is bold and not very wary of people. If you encounter such an animal it is important to discourage this behaviour by making noise, waving your hands, clapping, shouting, and/or spraying it with a hose.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Wildlife, especially coyotes, foxes, and fishers, come closer to people’s properties—along the perimeter of houses—in winter. This is where heat from our homes escapes, melting snow and creating trail ways for mice, squirrels and other small animals that are the primary diet of these larger species. It does not mean these animals are stalking your family. In fact, they do not pose a threat to people.
Q: I have a farm and am concerned about coyote predation on my livestock. What can I do?
A: It is important to remove any dead livestock from fields, as this will attract coyotes. Guard dogs, llamas, and donkeys are good methods of deterring coyotes and protecting livestock.
Q: Will trapping or killing the coyotes work?
A: Coyotes are very intelligent, wary animals that are very unlikely to be trapped. In fact, many say that trapping and killing only removes the less intelligent members of the population, leaving the best-adapted animals. Under normal circumstances, generally only the dominant coyote pair breeds and produces one litter a year. Killing coyotes disrupts the social order of the pack and the population structure, causing more coyotes to breed and have larger litters. Coyotes will also fill into vacated habitat from adjacent areas. Thus, eradication efforts frequently lead to increases in local coyote populations.
In addition, removing one or a dozen animals will never solve a problem, as it is normal for coyotes to inhabit these areas. By using the safeguards outlined above, people and coyotes can co-exist, as they have been doing in many areas for decades.
STOP - DO NOT TRAP AND RELOCATE THE ANIMAL - Click here to find out why