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Coyotes adapt to urban settings
By LINDA M. LINONIS
SALEM
The howl of a coyote has probably livened up the soundtrack of nearly every Western movie.
If you’ve heard that howl in your Ohio neighborhood or in the distance, coyotes are living nearby. It may give you the shivers, but it should alert you that the animal figuring prominently in Native American folklore is closer than you think.
About 35 people participated in a recent program, “Go Wild in the Park: Learn about Coyotes,” offered through Salem Public Library. Jason Reynolds, a wildlife and forestry specialist for Columbiana County Soil and Water District, presented the program at Waterworth Memorial Park near the Nature Trail. Afterward, the group walked the trail, where Reynolds had placed various pelts of such animals as the red fox and gray fox and skulls of a muskrat and beaver.
Reynolds said he gathered some of his information from the Urban Coyote Research project in Cook County, Ill. The basic facts about the animal – the size of a medium dog – apply to coyotes in Ohio. Visit www.urbancoyoteresearch.com.
Coyote fur is often gray, though some have reddish, black and brown fur. The bushy tail is tipped in black.
“Coyotes are good at adapting to urban areas,” Reynolds told the group. “They’re not native to Ohio but have migrated from the West to the East and are also found in Canada.”
Reynolds said though many people may think of coyotes as animals on the Western plains, they often succeed at living in urban areas. In the wild, life span is about eight years while in captivity, 15 years. “In an urban area, they’re at the top of the food chain,” Reynolds said.
One reason for coyotes’ success is found in their diet, which encompasses a wide range – rodents, berries, geese, eggs and insects. Reynolds said coyotes’ ability to switch food sources contributes to their survival.
Coyotes also help control the white-tail deer population, not by preying on adult deer, but killing fawns, Reynolds said. In urban areas, they also help control the rodent population.
Coyotes also may prey on Canada geese, its young and eggs. They also go after stray cats. “When the population of stray cats decreases, the number of songbirds increases,” Reynolds said.
People become aware of coyotes’ presence if there is conflict of some sort, Reynolds said. Attacks on humans are rare.
Nuisance coyotes are animals that become familiar with surroundings where people live, Reynolds said. “They have a natural fear of humans,” he said.
To prevent nuisance coyotes, don’t leave dog or cat food outside. Install lights that come on with movement or some kind of noise deterrent. Fences must be at least 4 feet high to deter coyotes.
“If there’s no access, there’s no issue,” Reynolds said of coyotes and other wildlife.
If you should happen on a coyote, which are usually nocturnal, Reynolds said to “yell or honk your car horn. Don’t corner a coyote ... like other wildlife, they can be dangerous if cornered. Don’t run but stand tall.”
Reynolds said, “Keeping the coyotes’ natural fear of humans is a benefit because it deters them.”
Coyotes may be aggressive if someone accidentally stumbles on a den with young, he said. Give the animals plenty of room and move away, he said.
Linda Mellish, who walks regularly in the park, said she has seen a coyote there. She attended the progam to learn about the animal and its behavior.