Coyotes will snatch and eat cats and dogs and will also attack small children. There are a number of recent examples in MA. They will attack human adults if they are rabid--that happened about six months ago here in MA.

It seems healthy coyotes in small numbers can live in harmony with adults and older children. If diseased or over-populated, they present quite a problem. Your pets or small domestic animals and small children are not safe with any coyote.

We saw a fox two blocks from our house in Melrose--this was in on a neighborhood street, about a block in from one of our busiest streets-- no "woods" or conservation land in the area! We called the police about it and they said yes, there are occasional sitings.

PS--

Is the Winchester/Arlington area zone 5? I thought we were zone 6.

I live in Wayland between route 20 and 30 and I have seen coyotes for a few years now. I'm most likely to see them early in the morning. Keep you cats and dogs inside and don't leave any pet food out. The ones I have seen look well fed.

We live in a relatively wooded, rural area of Connecticut, and while it wouldn't surprise me if we have coyotes, I haven't actually seen or heard any. But the local vet assures me they are there and to keep all domestic pets inside after dusk. He said nothing about taking precautions during daylight hours ... do I need to worry about a daytime raid on my cat, who loves to lounge on the patio and hunt dragonflies in the meadow?? I do get him in (try to, anyway!) by early evening, but he spends all day outside. We have a fenced dog run for my springer, which we use anytime she has to go out after dark -- does anyone know if the presence of a dog on the property (scent, whatever) is a deterrent to coytotes as it can be to deer -- or more of a dinner invitation?

I live very near a city in a neighborhood of less than 1/4 acre lots, so I thought I was safe. Wrong. There was a dead one on the highway near the entrance down the street from me. I hope my Cat-who-cannot-be-contained can find a way to avoid them.

Galileo, I had a group of elderly residents at a group home across from Jamaica Pond tell me that coyotes rummage through their Dumpsters nightly. The people actually liked them, because, as one lady told me, "They scare away the rats, squirrels, skunks and raccoons."

We have had coyotes in our small city for years, and my neighborhood on a quiet side street has been the domain of a pack of coyotes for several years now. They trot down the middle of the road in the wee hours, as though they owned it. A couple years ago, they performed one of their "teenage girl squeal sessions" right under my window.

I have poultry, and keep them locked in a heavy duty covered run during the day, and in a barn at night!

We have coyotes near us and hear them frequently at night (almost every night at certain times of the year). I have seen lone coyotes in the daytime and packs at night. Needless to say, our cats are in at least one hour before sunset for their own safety. But I do not worry about the safety of my children (I did when they were small, but they are older now, 11 and 13). They know what coyotes look like (very much like a small german shepherd that needs a good grooming)and know what to do if a coyote comes in the yard (head for the door; if not possible then clang loud things together). They have never had to do this however in the 9 years we have lived here.

My understanding about the coyotes is that they are non-aggressive unless sick or over-aclimated to humans. There are apparently very few attacks on people each year. They will however attack livestock and pets, dogs included; but we can thank them for keeping the deer, vole, and woodchuck population a bit under control.

As long as you aren't trying to "befriend" them, I don't think they pose any significant danger to you and your family, but your local animal control officer can give you more information. Definitely let any children know what they look like, however, because they might mistake a coyote for a stray dog; and you know how kids love stray dogs!

Patty

This link has a coyote howl, about halfway down the page. All of my dogs are carrying on since I played it. I posted a thread a while back, and found a website that had coyote sounds on it, I'll see if I can find it again.

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Actually, I just remembered, it was fox calls, not coyote and I'm pretty sure that's what I had, a family of foxes. What I heard sounded like the red fox distress call.

Here is a link that might be useful: foxes

We have fox and coyote here in my in-town neighborhood on Cape Cod. They have not caused any major problems here, but they do go after cats small small dogs. My Mom had a heart attack after running away from one with her little dog, but I can't blame the coyote for that, and both dog and mom are fine now.

They DO keep down the rodent population, and they "encourage" people to keep their cats indoors, which is good for wild birds.

We see them occasionally during the daylight hours, and definitely hear their jamborees at night. The town seems to be divided into coyote and fox territories; if we have coyotes on our block this summer, there won't be any foxes in the vicinity. Next year this might be a fox neighborhood and the coyotes may be a couple of blocks away.

All in all, I like having them around.

Thanks for all the good information! We don't have pets or small children but worry about neighbors who do. Other than that, we're kind of fascinated by the idea of nearby wildlife so high up the food chain.

Spunky, I think when I joined Gardenweb long ago, my zone was assigned to my user name. Yes, I think this is zone 6. Feels like about a 9 today....

I like the coyotes, too, and am glad they are making a comeback. Timber wolves are another matter... Not sure I'd want them in the 'burbs, but I do hope they rebuild their population in the Northern Kingdom.

Coyotes are known to act aggressively during breeding season, so I'd be careful then and make sure any male dogs -- neutered or not -- or females in heat are kept kenneled or inside. A local man and his dog encountered an agressive coyote early last spring. It was a male, and the dog was a male. The coyote actually attacked the dog, not the man, and it is likely that it was just protecting its turf from what it considered a breeding rival. Dogs and coyotes belong to the same Canis genus and successfully interbreed. So a male dog would be a rival to a male coyote.

Good point, cady, and it reminds me that I've read that the animal to be feared is the coyote/dog mix. Another reason to keep male dogs contained - we definitely don't want coyote-dogs running around the neighborhoods.

Having no pets myself or nearby, neighborhood children who can get the heck away, and lots of rabbits and squirrels, I'd welcome a coyote anytime :-)

Martie

We welcome coyotes here. They are a farmers best friend, keeping the rodent populations in check. They scavange many of the deer road kill and injured deer that are hit by cars only to bound off into the woods with debilitating internal injuries and broken limbs. They also make use of the deer injured by hunters during hunting season. Rather than the deer dying slowly from infections, gangrene and internal injuries, I am glad that another animal can make use of the food. Of course people fear for their small dogs and cats - but, has anyone ever heard of compensatory mortality? That is the theory that if an animal, such as a deer isn't killed by one thing, it is probably going to die of another... in a nutshell anyway. If we translate this theory over to a wandering domestic cat- if it isn't taken by a coyote, isn't it doomed to be taken by an automobile, owl, irate neighbor, aggressive dog, disease, accidental entrapment, or many of the myriad ways that cats are killed? I guess the lesson here is that if one doesn't want their cat to die, the safest place for it is inside the home. The same with little dogs - why would someone allow a small dog to roam free when so many other things can happen to it, including being hit by cars, attacked by larger more aggressive domestic dogs, taken by owls, etc.. Why blame coyotes? Probably because it is just easier to point the finger at them than inflict hatred upon the car drivers, other dog owners, their dogs, etc. You can shoot a coyote, but not the neighbors, drivers, dogs, etc. Coyotes are here to stay. They eat rodents and roadkill and lots of grasses and berries to. In neighborhoods where people feed the birds, they are creating entire food chains. To think that only birds are attracted to the seed is foolhardy. Rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, skunks,,, everything is attracted by the bird feeders, especially at night. Thank goodness the coyotes come around to help keep those rodent populations in check. In one town near me, they banned bird feeding because the rat problem has gotten so bad. Funny thing is, they have also implemented a "coyote control" program. Couldn't they save a whole lot of money by allowing the coyotes to eat the rats, and then the coyotes would move on? Many people don't realize that coyote populations are regulated strictly by available food. No food, no coyotes. Lots of food (rats, mice, squirrels, rabbits) more coyotes. Tolerance and education are the keys to living with coyotes. There is so much misinformation out there and so many rumors that are perpetuated about coyotes. Coyotes are here to stay, they are a valuable memeber of our ecosystem and should be left alone and not demonized.

Very well said. :-) You've softened my view of coyotes a little. I would rather have a coyote than rats everywhere, any day. I wonder though, people are afraid of coyotes and probably with reason. So maybe it would help, if you had more information about whether there is a reason for people to be afraid of them. You mentioned dogs and cats, what about small children or babies? I would think people are not really letting dogs loose in the street, but are more afraid that a coyote could come into their own yard and take a small animal or attack a small child. I think those are reasonable concerns and need to be addressed the most.

:-)

Foxladye, thank you. Finally a voice of reason. If only people would take time to educate themselves. This suburbanite biology is really quite amusing, but it's sad also. Too bad most people have no idea that they are just worrying needlessly. The media really does influence what people think. I sometimes wonder if freedom of the press helps us or hurts us.

Here are some coyote attack statistics, coupled with domestic dog attack statistics to put it into perspective:

In recorded history there are only about 30 coyote attacks on humans that resulted in injuries.
Roughly one per year in California where the coyote population is the densest. Most of these involved situations where the people were intentionally feeding the coyotes.
There is only one human death attributed to coyotes over the course of the entire history of the United States. That involved a feeding situation.

Now, lets look at some domestic dog attack statistics:
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) there are 5 million domestic dog bite victims annually.
That is 2% of the human population
800,000 of these need medical attention
1,000 per day need treatment in emergency rooms
Between 15 and 20 people die every year from domestic dog attacks
Most of the victims who receive medical attention are children, half of whom are bitten in the face.
Dog bite losses exceed $1 Billion per year with $345 Million paid by insurance

Now, shall I put it into further perspective by talking about human predation on children? Those statistics are even more disturbing than the dog bite statistics.

And people are worried about coyotes?

I'm not wild about them, personally. They were never idigenous here, and I wonder what impact their increasing population has on native foxes? But they ARE successful and they're adaptable. So are skunks, racoons, o'possums, and cats! and that means they're not going anywhere anytime soon. Frankly, I'm more concerned by the overpopulation of deer.

As one who allows our cats outdoors (and always has) I have long since accepted the risks involved. In the past 15 years we've lost one to the road and one to a fox attack, not 75' from the house (heard the cry and looked foxy-loxy right in the eyes from 3' as I scooped up the injured cat). Like Barefoot, we make sure they're inside as twilight falls and dawn breaks. But it's the choice we've decided to make. We have no illusions about the grim reality Mother Nature presents.

Chelone,
Coyotes are pretty cosmopolitan, but you're right that they did not originate here. They moved east from the Southwest. The latest theory is the coyotes we're getting here now are hybrids, interbred with Mexican wolves, and are larger and slightly different than the coyotes of 100 years ago.

Believe it or not, red foxes (Vulpes fulva) are not indigenous to North America though they have the largest range of all the canids here. They are naturalized imports from the UK and Europe, brought over for the fox hunt and fur. They are so common, and seem to have been here forever, so it's natural to assume they're indigenous. I was surprised to learn they aren't.

Gray foxes (Urocyon cineoargenteus) are native to the U.S., but I believe they originated in the Southwest and their range has spread east over time. I've never seen one in the wild, but others on GardenWeb have reported seeing them. To make things confusing, red foxes do have a "gray phase" -- some of them have gray pelts due to a genetic mutation. So in some cases, people might have been seeing a red fox in gray phase - not a gray fox.

Many animal species naturally migrate and change ranges as their habitat changes. Thus, I don't find coyotes' presence here to be unnatural. They do fill a scavanger niche, as was mentioned by foxladye.

My mother-in-law has a house in Falmouth, MA in Sippewissett and her next door neighbor's small dog (sheltie I believe) was killed by a coyote when she let it out on a tie-out before going to bed at night. A dog in that position is probably far worse than a loose dog even. Luckily we don't see them around here.

What bloody idiot would put a dog out all night on a tie-out, leaving it essentially defenseless (as was the case here) ?????!! That is animal cruelty in my opinion, and resulted in a completely predictable -- and totally avoidable -- tragedy. It is not the coyotes who should be driven out of town -- it's pet owners like that.

That's interesting, Cady, I didn't know that, either. I looked Vulpes vulpes (Red fox) in our great big animal book and they made no mention that it was an introduced species. I saw no mention of Vulpes fulva, interestingly.

Migration is common, witness the gradual march north of o'possums... they're turning up with frost bitten ears, clear indication that they were not so common in northern New England.

Chelone,
Taxonomists are always changing designated genera and species of animals, just like they do with plants (not as often as with plants, though). Vulpes vulpes is the new taxonomy for V. fulva. They are the same animal. I'm just slow to change over. lol

I had always thought that V. vulpes/V. fulva was native, but a wildlife biogist told me the little-known story of European introduction. I believed that they were circumboreal (found throughout the world in the northern regions below the Arctic), like moose, but the biologist informed me that they had never crossed Siberia or the Bering Strait (during the ice age), and in fact were brought over by Europeans.

I'll see if I can find sources that corroborate that info.

Your mention of the opossums with frost-bitten ears is evocative. I've seen many of those critters enduring our winters. They are true southern animals! Many southern/warm-temperate species have migrated north as the climate here gradually has warmed up since the Pleistocene glacial period ended 12,000 years ago. Not just animals like the opossum, but lots of plants. Oak and beech trees are good examples. Ever notice that they do not drop their leaves in the fall? Their leaves stay stuck on the branches until growth of new buds pushes them off. That's because oaks and beeches lack abscissic acid, the substance that makes a plug between the leaf petiole and the twig, cutting off the supply of water from the tree to the leaf, and severing the leaf from the branch.

So, the leaves stay on. Abscissic acid is an adaptation of cold-climate non-evergreen trees to prevent desiccation during cold weather, when roots can't take up water from frozen soil. They ditch their leaves and go dormant to conserve water. Oaks and beeches are southern trees that gradually expanded their range north. They never developed the ability to become true deciduous trees like our rugged, cold-loving sugar maples. Meanwhile, as our climate warms, sugar maples will have to migrate north way into Canada. Over the next 200 years, our winters will probably get too warm for them!

Okay, Chelone, here's what I found on V. vulpes/fulva --
The wildlife biologist who informed me, was only half informed himself, I think. lol

Here is a very interesting page on the foxes. It seems that V. fulva was a native species here that did in fact cross the Bering during the ice age. Then, Europeans introduced their species, V. vulpes, which interbred with the native species and gave us what we have today. All red foxes in the New World and Europe are now believed to be pretty much one and the same. V. vulpes is the name of the introduced foxes.

It sounds like the viburnums, V. opulus and V. triloba, the European and American species, respectively, which are now said to be so genetically close as to be the same species.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Red Fox Story

Ctlady- I didn't mean she left it out all night, she put it out before bed for like 5 minutes, the way you do to make sure the dog is not going to have to *go* during the night. It was right in the front yard, and it's a corner lot so right near the road...I'm sure she never would have guessed that could happen.

Ah, Siennact - sorry! I thought you meant that she kept her dog on a tie-out all night, putting it out there at bedtime and leaving it out til morning (we actually knew someone who did that -- drove me absolutely nuts, not only because it was unsafe for the dog, but because the dog BARKED half the night!) Our local vet here in northwest-central CT says he advises his clients not to let ANY of our animals out after dusk for any period of time (he specifically referred to the danger from coyotes, though we have yet to see or hear any). We are fortunate to have a house that came equipped with a small fenced dog run off the garage. I think the previous owner built it because her dog wouldn't honor the Invisible Fence, but we use it for those bedtime pit-stops and it's a godsend. We live right on the edge of a large wooded area, and except for the illumination from some motion-detection floodlights, it's pitch black out there. I think I'd be very nervous walking her in the yard after dark, even right near the house, and I highly recommend a small run for anyone who has animals they're worried about. I feel she's totally safe for the few minutes I leave her out there in the evening (it also keeps my potted tomatoes safe from marauders...!)

Stupid question - - can coyotes jump/climb fences? I confess to letting my Pug out at night in our fenced yard to do her "evening business". The fence is about 4 1/2 feet high. Honestly, Pugs can't make it very long without, well, making it, so there is no way to keep her in entirely after dark unless I litter train her. ;-)

I finally had the time to scope out the page Cady linked. Fascinating! and even more interesting was the little dendrological snippet. I love stuff like that.

As for climbing fences... I couldn't say with any certainty, but judging from what I've seen in canine agility classes and police dog demonstations I shouldn't think a fit, athletic animal would have all that much trouble with 4 1/2' if therre was something tempting enough on the other side of the fence. Still though, any wild animal is a pragmatist, expert at weighing the odds of success against the energy required in the attempt.

I live on Cape Cod (hi..diggingthedirt.guess we are neighbors)..I see coyotes and foxes every single night..along with racoons and the smaller critters...I have seen coyotes jump my fence, one used a tree branch to make it over the six foot part.

I am personally humbled by these creatures, of course, didn't feel that way when 2 of my cats dissapeared years ago..but I learned.

I noticed a large population of foxes and coyotes visiting my yard and talked to the Audubon about it..They like bird seed and were coming to eat it..Now in cooperation with the state my yard is used as a baiting station to provide meat laced with the rabies vaccine to these guys...

I watch every night as they come to investigate and even after 2 years I am still "awed" by them. Even thought I am at the top of the food chain, I realized that my house was probably once "their" territory, and truly believe that we have to learn to co-exist with the nature aound us (even if the nature is big, furry, and sometimes attack).

I have no fear of them however, my animals do not go out at night, (even the rottweiller) without me standing on the deck, my cats do not seem to miss the outdoors and I would not even think of approaching one...

That is very cool, malorn! What an interesting opportunity to watch them up close like that. I didn't know the state had programs to treat them through baiting stations, very interesting. Who knew the rabies vax could be administered through food either, huh...

Thank you for your effort toward protecting them and us!

Have been traveling and then entertaining guests, so havenÂt been on in a few weeks. Interesting to read the different takes and opinions about coyotes. Years ago I was amazed to learn that they are found within the city limits of New York City. Smart, opportunistic animals and not inclined to mess with humans if avoidance is at all possible.

There is a very healthy pack that lives on and around my property. They use my farm road as a highway from the cornfields over to the pond, where they set up and howl at night, less than 300 feet from the house. IÂve howled back to them, much to the dismay of my dog. In the three years IÂve lived here, while I regularly find their spoor on the farm road (tight fur-filled clusters not at all like those of a dog), and while I have heard them in the woods and howling by the pond, I have never seen even one, nor have they ever been a problem. Maxing out at about 40 lbs. around here, they would rather be heard and not seen. When I first got my chickens, I also bought a .223 varmint rifle, figuring I might have to protect them from the coyotes. But, they have never bothered my poultry, the electric fence apparently being enough of a deterrent. Wish I could say the same about the raccoons.

On balance I am fine co-habiting with coyote. They donÂt bother me and I donÂt bother them. They eat an enormous number of rodents, they donÂt mess up my property, and they leave me and my dog alone, even when we walk the farm road late at night under a full moon. I wish they would take a liking to moles, but other than that they are fine neighbors.

narcnh

It is nice to see how the messages on this forum went from hysteria laden with misinformation, to a more fact filled, tolerant view. Education really is the key. People should learn the facts from the people who have the facts, and not from the people who are spreading misinformation and fear. Those that belive they need to kill every coyote that they can are terribly misguided - the biological facts are that the implementation of "coyote control" actually stimulates the coyote population growth. This concept is not an easy one for most people to understand. If "coyote control" actually worked, then why were millions killed through ADC in the Western States for years, yet a healthy coyote population persists there. Studies have shown that if they had simply left the coyotes alone to do what coyotes do, there would have been many less coyotes than before the control was implemented. Imagine the money that was thrown away on this project!
If control methods actually lowered the population, coyotes would theoretically be extinct by now. However, killing coyotes actually causes their population to grow at a faster rate. The litters increase in size and the young that are produced are more viable and hardy. So it is actually the coyote haters and killers that are creating more of them. If you have coyotes on your property and you hire someone to come in a trap or shoot them, you will create a bigger "problem" for yourself and your neighbors. Funny thing is, if you don't want coyotes, the last thing you want to do is kill them. Your population will stabilize and once the prey population goes down, the coyotes will leave, or you will have a single pair protecting their territoy. Logging also will cause coyotes to move into an area. Logging creates more undergrowth, more treetops for food for the small prey species. Coyotes will move in to fill the niche of predator to control the prey populations.
A lot of people see the predator /prey relationship as a Good VS. Evil relationship. This is a very naive and environmentally unsound view. Predators are necessary to have healthy prey populations. coyotes are doing what predators are supposed to do. Man should butt out and simply protect their domestic animals with good fencing and good common sense practices.
A good person to look up is Robert Crabtree, or "Bob Crabtree" He is the foremost coyote biologist in the USA. He has studied coyotes for years and has the facts, not the misinformation.
Elise Able
Fox Wood Wildlife Rescue, Inc
http://www.foxwoodrehab.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Fox Wood Wildlife Rescue, Inc

Hi Malorn - oh, another cape codder! Great!

Many of the coyotes here are apparently suffering from mange, which can actually be fatal to them. It become rampant when the coyote population gets too high, and acts as a natural population control. Wish there were some medication that could be fed to them to prevent its spread, because it seems like a very unpleasant way to go, but I guess that's not going to happen.

Sarcoptic mange can be treated with liquid injectable Ivermectin (Ivomec) from a Tractor Supply store or other cattle supply store or catalog. The injectable liquid works orally and can be injected into bait such as hot dogs. The catch is that multiple treatments 5 days apart for a month are necessary to kill the existing mites as well as the mites that hatch on successive days from eggs laid under the skin. I have successfully baited and treated many coyotes and foxes using this method. I will bait along the perimeter of a large field know to have coyotes or foxes with mange. A $40 bottle will treat many coyotes. One also has to be familiar with proper dosages. I would dose for a 50 lb animal, (for adults), as the Ivermectin is very safe when used orally.
Elise Able