Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 10/09/2007 08:38 AM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 10/09/2007 08:40 AM
Expires: 01/01/2012 12:00 AM
Coyotes: Pests of Homes, Structures, People, and Pets~By Ken Churches
Teach your children to identify coyotes, recognize the potential for danger, and know what to do if they come in contact with a coyote. Coyotes are medium-sized members of the dog family, larger than foxes but smaller than wolves. Native to western North America, they are extremely adaptable. Coyotes have increased in numbers and have increased their geographical range during the past fifty years, due in part to human modification of the landscape. Coyotes now are found almost everywhere in North America....
Coyotes can live in almost any habitat in California, from arid deserts in the south to wet meadows and foggy coastal regions in the north. In recent decades, they have become more numerous in many suburban environments where an ample food supply is available. While some coyotes may be nomadic or transient and travel over wide areas, others occupy distinct territories that they defend, particularly during breeding and pup rearing. Coyote diets are diverse and adaptable, varying according to local or seasonal availability of resources. Rodents or rabbits are often a major portion of their diet, when available. However, at times coyotes will rely on insects (such as grasshoppers), fruits, berries, songbirds, and carrion. They readily scavenge on carcasses of large wild or domestic animals and also are capable predators, able to attack and kill full-grown deer and other large prey. Because domestic animals such as poultry, sheep, goats, and calves lack effective natural defenses against wild predators, they are easy prey for coyotes. Some coyotes learn to kill livestock and pets and will do so repeatedly unless corrective action is taken. When preying on poultry and livestock, coyotes often kill more than they can consume.
Normally, coyotes are elusive animals that avoid contact with humans. Most active after dusk and before daylight, they are typically seen only at a distance. This trait may be a response to hunting, trapping, and other efforts to control coyote predation. Indeed, coyotes have been harassed and killed ever since settlers first arrived in western North America with their livestock. In most areas of California, coyotes continue to behave in ways that minimize their contact with humans. Within urban and suburban areas in California, however, some coyotes have adapted to residential neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces, and seemingly have lost their fear of humans. This may be a result of behavioral changes that have occurred over several generations of coyotes, in localities where predator control is no longer practiced. Coyotes thrive in such areas because food, water, and shelter are abundant, and coyotes living in these environments may come to associate humans with food and protection. Once attracted to suburban areas, they prey on the abundant rodents, rabbits, birds, house cats, and small dogs that live in residential habitats. They also will feed on household garbage, pet food, and seeds and fruits of many garden and landscape plants. In some localities, this has resulted in the development of local coyote populations that seemingly ignore people, while a few coyotes have become increasingly aggressive toward humans. They will stalk and even attack children or adults, or attack pets being walked on a leash by their owners. More than 160 such attacks have occurred in California since the 1970s, and they are becoming more frequent, particularly in suburban areas of Southern California. When it reaches the point where pets are being attacked or coyotes are seen in neighborhoods in early morning or late afternoon, area-wide corrective actions are recommended to prevent an escalation to attacks on humans. If coyotes are seen near your home, teach your children to identify them, recognize the potential for danger, and know what to do if they come in contact with a coyote.
Coyotes have no special protection in California and may be killed by any method that is not prohibited by federal, state, or local statutes. The situations in which coyotes cause damage are quite variable, and therefore strategies and solutions to resolve these problems also must be tailored to individual situations. Professional wildlife damage management specialists who are employed by federal, state, or county agencies can be very helpful in evaluating coyote damage and in assisting landowners to develop appropriate management strategies for specific situations. Contact your county agricultural commissioner to obtain information.
Cats and dogs should be fed indoors, or if fed outdoors, food dishes should be promptly emptied and removed after pets have eaten. Store pet food indoors or in sealed heavy-duty containers. Use refuse containers that have tight-fitting lids to prevent raccoons, dogs, or coyotes from having access to household garbage. Keep small pets such as cats, rabbits, and small dogs, indoors, or if outdoors, keep them within enclosed kennels. Large dogs should be brought inside after dark. Never allow cats or dogs to run free at any time, as they are easy prey. Because coyotes that come in contact with domestic animals may transmit diseases, vaccinate all pets for rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and other diseases, as recommended by a veterinarian.
This article adapted from Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, USDA. Please contact the Farm Advisor’s office at cdcalaveras@ucdavis.edu or 754-6477 with your agricultural questions. Talk to a certified Master Gardener every Wednesday, 10:00-12:00, 754-2880.
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Ken R. Churches
County Director, Calaveras County
University of California Cooperative Extension
891 Mountain Ranch Road
San Andreas, CA 95249
Office: 209 754-6477
Cell: 209 304-6262
FAX: 209 754-6472
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