Urban Coyotes

Are coyotes losing their fear of humans?

Recent sightings of coyotes encroaching on suburban neighborhoods, and a few recent reported attacks have alerted many folks of an increasing problem. Though the occurrences of coyotes attacks on humans are rare, the recent report from White Plains, NY about two little girls being attacked have left some people wondering. Is this a new problem that humans should be worried about?

Due to the expanding suburban culture Coyotes have lost a lot of land which they once hunted on. Which has left the scavengers looking for some tasty morsels to gobble up. The unsettling co-existence between animal and human is caused by interactions that the animal views as positive. Such as the intentional, or unintentional, leaving of pet food out at night or the few scraps of food in garbage available for the animal to rummage food. "The animals then start to think people are going to be a source of food. That's when they start to lose their fear and become a problem," stated James Eyring, the assistant director of Pace University's Environmental Center in Pleasantville.

These recent threats are just newly developed, the encroaching of coyotes in suburban neighborhoods, that is. In the 1960s and 70s such sightings were nearly unheard of the real problem is as the world continues to expand animals are losing their homes and start to rely on their new surroundings for survival. Meaning that the can of cat food you left out for the neighborhood cat, could be enticing some much unwanted visitors to your backyard for a free bite of food.

Urban environments are very resource-rich for coyotes, they provide less work then hunting and once a pattern is formed a quick dash to the trash can is easy. Not only is it more rich in resources, it also proves to be quite fatal for a lot of unknowing coyotes who get hit by cars, or consume something poisonous. Research has shown that with the increasing prowlers who eat from trash, the death from consuming poison has skyrocketed. Simply because they are eating rats or mice that have been murdered with an over the counter rat poison.

Departments of Wildlife have recommended people to stop feeding coyotes, or any other wild animal. That providing them with food, either with good intentions or not, is making them dependent on humans for survival making them more likely to have less fear of human beings. Keep your pet food and garbage cans secure, Coyotes will take advantage of any meal they can sink their teeth into such as unsecured containers or the pets food that was left outside uneaten.