Living with Coyotes
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Coyote lying down Coyote walking away in deep snow Coyote standing in tall grass facing the camera Coyote standing in a field across the camera Coyote in a snow covered field
Sounds of Coyotes Vocalizing
Coyote Tips
Some tips on how to co-exist with coyotes:
- Never feed coyotes. Our best defence is not to habituate them. We need to keep them wild. This is the best way to protect our pets and ourselves. The few documented cases of coyote-inflicted wounds on humans occurred as a result of humans feeding a coyote.
- Keep pet food and water bowls indoors. Pet food will attract coyotes to your yard.
- Keep trash cans covered.
- Pick ripened fruit, and clean all rotted fruit off the ground.
- Do not allow a large amount of wild bird seed to remain on your lawn. Bird seed not only attracts birds, but rabbits, squirrels, and rodents, which coyotes will feed on if they come into contact with those animals.
- Keep pets under your controls. Coyotes are most active between the hours of dusk and dawn. Therefore, leash all dogs and accompany them for walks. Keep pets indoors at night or enclosed in kennels.
- Cats may become prey for coyotes. Pet owners should protect pets and not let them roam. Sometimes coyotes take small domestic animals to feed, or to eliminate a threat to their territory. Letting cats roam can actually draw coyotes into the area.
- Keep chickens, rabbits and other small animals in covered enclosures, constructed with heavy mesh wire. Coyotes can break through ordinary chicken coop wire.
- Neuter pets. Coyotes may mate with domesticated dogs.
- Do not approach coyotes. Avoid coyote dens, and do not interfere with pups, even if it appears the parents have abandoned them. Coyotes will do their best to avoid human contact, but may attack humans if provoked, or if sick or injured.
- Teach children about wildlife - that it is to be admired from afar.
- Battery-operated flashlights, tape-recorded human noises, scattered mothballs, and ammonia soaked rags may deter coyotes from entering onto your property.
Co-Existing with Coyotes used with permission from Coyote Watch Canada.
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