They do not generally attack humans, but they do snack on cats and small dogs. They belong to the same genus as dogs do, but are a different species. There are 8 canis species, domestic dogs are one,coyotes are one, red wolves are another, gray wolves are one, and the rest are jackals. You can see the link below for more about coyotes.

Here is a link that might be useful: coyote

A coyote, in general, is not going to be very dangerous to humans. And "Urban" coyotes are getting to be more and more common. Coyotes are scavangers and are adapting to living in urban areas finding easy meals where the people live including domesticated cats, small dogs, and garbage.

They also have been seen stalking small children. Eastern coyotes are getting larger, they can often weigh 10 pounds more now than they did 10-12 years ago. I cant imagine releasing a coyote! Coyote hunting using electronic calls and hounds is a growth sport in Pa. and surrounding states.

In downtown chicago a few weeks ago, a coyote walked into a Quiznos sandwhich shop and just sat down - hanging out. People were in there and everything. They evacuated all the customers and then animal control came and got the coyote peacefully and released to a forest preserve.

They are all over here far west of the city. That's why people who let their cats outside make me so mad. They are definitely at risk for getting eaten up by those coyotes for sure.

I forgot to mention, that while coyotes attack and kill our small pets under 20 pounds they rarely attack a supervised pet.

Therefore, it is important not to allow your small pets outside unsupervised. Especially during breeding season and feeding hours (dawn/dusk).

This is, ofcourse, unless you have a 7 foot tall enclosure with no clearance at the ground.

It was in a newspaper, somewhere in the east. it was stalking a child in a suburban area,the mom saw it and ran to scare the thing away. I didnt really pay a lot of attention, just in glancing.

Actually coyotes are more often running to 45 and 50 pounds as witnessed in the organized hunts here in Pa. they hunt for most, & largest individual categories for prizes. These coyotes are also known to prey on hunting dogs such as Beagles and will even go after large hounds which weigh upwards of 60 pounds. they form packs and will key in on the lone running hound. I know this happens, we run beagles and coon hounds. You really need to hustle to the tree when the coon is treed. These same type hounds are used to persue the coyote which commonly runs from the pack, good dogs and handlers can harvest several yotes in a day, many times, none. They are a growing population here and causing losses to some animal owners, even invading barns and lots near homes and killing fawns(so are the black bear which are really growing in numbers) Be glad to ship them on out west but the folks I know out there think they have nuff already!

Your post was informative.

Here is the coyote in the cooler at Quizno's.

Interesting that the coyotes are larger in PA. I wonder why?

I understand that it must be frustrating and scary to have your hunting dog attacked by a pack of coyotes; it must be the hunter becoming the hunted though! The hunting dogs are on their turf, hunting them - I don't blame 'em for protecting themselves. Canines have a way of communicating with each other and I am sure at some point, on some level they are aware of the score.

As far as the coyote population in your area and the threat they are becoming to the livestock, is your answer then to eradicate the species?

Thanks for the picture Nancy.
Thanks the adams for your informative post.
I feel so sorry for these animals. They just want to survive, and we keep crowding them to the point they are moving into cities, eating our garbage and pets.
They have always been pests to ranchers, but managed to somehow to survive side by side. The city coyote, well, maybe we should just be more tolerant and embrace him? Maybe keep our cats in the house? :-)

Coyotes will hunt in packs and will take a larger animal when they are in pack. But larger mean just a big dog... There was a report of a pack around here that developed a very successful strategy. A female coyote, in heat, would run through a developed area, the local domesticated dogs would follow her, and she would lead the dogs out into an area surrounded by the coyote pack. Quite smart...

' Have you hugged a coyote today!!!

I dont think I would propose to eliminate them?? There were none 30 years ago tho. I would promote their hunting and trapping to aid in keeping their numbers to a minumum. Wolves in this area, and of course lion have been gone for many generations now. There was a population of both when my famuily arrived here in 1796.
I have read several theories in regard tothe increasing size. from genetics to crossbreeding to a ready and easy food supply.

few coyote will stand and fight, wild animals prefer flight to injury. Of course most domestics also have that preferance.
i dont hunt coyotes but its a lot like fox hunting which I have done plenty of.

What do you mean there were none 30 years ago? Do you mean none in your area, or that they did not exsist at all?

Well, to address both those scenarios:

Coyotes have exsisted in N America since the Pleistocene Period (a million years ago) which has been shown by fossil records. Although, the coyote became common 75 years ago. Old bounty records show that during the 1700's and 1800's that coyotes were turned in fraudulently as wolves.

The PA Game Commission reports that in PA an influx of coyotes appeared in the 1960's from the Catskill Mountains in New York. They also report that the first evedience of coyotes in PA is photographs taken in the 1930's.

As far as why the Eastern Coyote is larger then the western; DNA analysis shows that the E. Coyote is a cross between a coyote and a wolf and is therefore intermediate in size between the two.

Hunting and trapping to keep there numbers at a minimum? First, I am morally and ethically oppossed to this seeing that it is man with this mindset that has driven the gray wolf to near extinction! Sadly, it was an ignorant mentallity that almost ended this species exsistence. Just like the coyote, wolves rarely attack humans and it is found they do so when they are feed or find eash means to food (garbage). This is the same reason why their are none in PA.

This is not to mention that it has been proven to be a waste of time and money when it comes to the coyote. Again, as reported by the PA Game Commission, 70% of the coyote population would have to be removed annually in order to cause their population to drop. But, as many species have been found to do, the coyote will offset this drop in number by their litter size.

They go on to state, "A bounty system has never successfully eliminated or significantly reduced coyote populations anywhere in North America. Coyotes have a superior ability to adapt to a changing environment. Attempts to reduce coyote populations in western states using year-round poisoning, hunting and trapping resulted in millions of dollars being spent over many decades with little reduction in coyote numbers. The result of any predator control method is temporary and often very localized. No measurable good ever resulted from the Game Commission's predator bounties in the 1900s. They truly were a waste of money."

If they are not a threat to humans then why is it neccassary to keep "their numbers at a minimum?" Again, it is this mentallity that lead to the near extinction of the Gray Wolf. Why is this our choice? Why does man think he so wonderful and powerful that he can decide which species he would like to live with?

30 years ago seldom was a coyote seen in nw Pa. We heard there were some encroaching in eastern areas.
There is speculation of crossing and DNA, as you noted, to prove some crosses. They are definatly gettting larger, all you have to do is look at the things, or hang them on a scale.
I have no argument with your ethics, none. I see things differently.
I never suggested a bounty?? But hunting and trapping are a useful tool. Some will argue that the decrease will only cause the coyote to breed more often and have larger litters. Some disagree. They are a growing problem and threat to small stock and other game animals. As a hunter and a trapper, and believing that is a healthy and normal activity, I am all for the endeavors while following guide lines set forth by the Pa Game comission, my son is employed by the PGA and I am privy to plenty of info, from the inside and in public forums.

maybe we could return to the good ol days when the buffalo roamed and the Indians were the only humans on the continent, probably not likely tho!!

I am a conservationist as are most hunters/trappers fishers; I enjoy wildlife, flora & fauna. I just today planted in the cold snowy/misty weather, 150 new trees & bushes, probably get another 200 or so in tomorrow. I plant crops for the critters and build habitat.I do other things along the river and streams. I also harvest the wild game,fish, nuts, berries and other items. I'm plenty in touch with nature. Some animals must be controlled/managed by man in this day and age and its only responsible to recognize that.

generally, we are more aware of good management practices today which is likely to prevent the loss of entire species; there will be some lost, just as has always occured thruout history.
I'll see if I can find that magazine article with the sizes of the coyotes. might have been Pa Game News??

This is not far from me and happened last week:

http://www.observer-eccentric.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070415/NEWS10/704150358

The dog does not appear to be a "small" dog.

I never said they NEVER attack large dogs or during the day or supervised pets. These circumstances are just not as common. Yet, as humans destroy their habitat we are the ones teaching them not to fear us by feeding them both directly and indirectly.

In no way should the coyotes be blamed or hunted for these actions. To prevent these attacks it is neccassary to educate others about the importance of not feeding coyotes. Or leaving food/water outside, unsecured trashbins or unsupervised pets.

The fact is Gregory believes her poodle was attacked by a coyote, but is not sure because she did not witnesss the attack. Therefore, her pet was left unsupervised.

Also, Gregory's fear of a local child being hurt by a coyote bothers me because her beliefs are not based on statistics or fact. Just on her raw emotions after the horrible attack on her dog.

The fact is, the domesticated dog causes far more damage to humans then the coyote. As I mentioed above, the domesticated dog will cause 18 human deaths a year, whereas the coyote has only caused one death in the US over 20 years ago!

As far as the size of the E Coyote; The average adult male will weigh 45 - 55 pounds and the female will weigh 35 - 40 pounds.

Some people may disagree and believe that the coyote will not have larger litters when their population is down. I believe that those people are just choosing to believe what they would like to and are not accepting scientific studies that prove certain species have a biological mechanism that responds to a drop in their population. Not to mention past bounties here in the west have proven this true.

After the article about the poodle appeared in the paper, there were a slew of letters saying that the paper was irresponsible for publishing that story because there is no proof that a coyote did it -- could have been another dog.

Sort of reminds me of all the attacks being blamed on a certain breed of dog when if the truth be told it was not that "vicious breed at all." Unfortunately, the media doesn't seem to much care about the truth. I'm sure coyotes can get a bad rap in the same way, as long as it gets our attention while watching or reading the so called news.

My dad also raised beagles and black & tan coon hounds. There is no way a coyote will win a fight with a black and tan hound. And if they is more then one beagle he is not going to win a fight with them either. I grow up in northern Michigan but I have lived in Colorado for the last 30 years. I have coyotes run through my yard. They would eat my cats and my small dog if my Aussies didn't keep them away. They are just doing what nature intends them to do and I will not let anyone trap or shoot them on my land.

I have seen in the news two separate attacks in nothern New Jersey wherein two separate incidents - two children different incidents. If a coyote were to attack my child on my property, I would promptly shoot it so as to test for rabies. I wouldn't want the rabies series done if not necessary. I have never seen packs, but have seen individual coyotes on my property.

They seem to not bother anyone if left alone. However, in some instances it seems that they are rather aggressive particularly recently with young children.

Coyotes are mating with the Wolves and are get as large or large than a German Shepherd, they now run in packs in NC and we have had an open season on them for sometimes, they have caused multiple of problems, they have been taking out large swaths of neighborhood pets missing dog signs have been coming up.

they will take down Sheep, deer, and other farm animals when there a large pack but they have not gone after Horses, cows, lama's are not included, but we live near a farm that has pigs, goats, chickens, and other animals and they have had 2 pigs killed a baby Alpaca, a large dog, chickens, and a goat dead over the past year and a half.

They should be hunted until there's only a few left, they cause massive problems, just like the wolfs out west.

It was in the news a few days ago that genetic testing now shows that the Grey Wolf is the only pure wolf in the US. Our Red Wolves and other wolves are actually part coyote. This could create problems with the Endangered Species Act, since it is written to protect only pure species. No one knew how much interbreeding was naturally occurring between wolves and coyotes when the law was written. Heck - we also now know that humans are also part Neandertal, so who are we to judge?