Why Coyotes are Growing Bolder in Mount Washington

This article was reported and written by Alison Gee:

If you’ve been standing at your window at night in Mount Washington, wondering why the hills have been alive with the sound of howling lately, you probably know already that coyotes have been unusually active in neighborhood canyons, assertive to the point of prowling even the paved streets on the hill.

Yes, coyotes seem to be on everyone’s mind these days—and with good reason. The coyotes living in the canyons typically have their pups in April and May, which means they need to be especially bold in order to feed their pups. What that means is that pet owners have to be especially vigilant—or face the violent loss of their cats and dogs.

A few weeks ago, a Mount Washington local was walking her medium-sized and small dog off leash in the early morning, when the smaller dog chased after a lone coyote, who then led the dog into a canyon. Other coyotes quickly appeared, surrounded the dog, and escaped with her into their den.

Another hill resident said she saw a coyote following a woman with a medium-sized dog just after dusk. Although the woman made loud noises, the coyote continued to linger. The resident finally offered to drive the woman and her dog home in her car.

Yet another resident said she saw two coyotes hiding in the bushes surrounding her house, waiting for her to emerge from her car with her small dog. She shouted loudly, trying to scare the coyotes away. At first only one emerged from the bush and sauntered off. The other remained hiding. Only when the resident shouted and clapped her hands did the coyote finally walk off.

Coyotes are wily survivors. They know how to lure a dog out of its yard and into its den, where it will be outnumbered by other coyotes. In fact, the animals can easily jump fences into yards, but they know that their best opportunity to catch and feed off another animal is to bait it to follow into the canyon, where other coyotes can then overpower the animal.

Coyotes are opportunistic feeders—they’ll feed on whatever is readily available and easy to obtain. They will happily eat such fare as fruits and berries, vegetables, mice, rabbits, birds, snakes, frogs, and insects.

But they’ll also scavenge on animal remains, including road-kill, as well as garbage and pet food left outdoors.
In suburban areas, they prey upon unprotected pets, including outdoor house cats and dogs left alone.

And because they have adapted their diet to include so many different food sources, coyotes can live in a variety of habitats, including urban and even heavily populated areas.

According to a government wildlife website, you can make your house and yard less attractive to coyotes by doing the following:

• Don't hesitate to scare or threaten coyotes with loud noises and bright lights. You can even pick up small objects, such as a tennis ball, and throw them at the coyote. If you can grab a water hose, spray the coyote in the face. Such actions will let the coyote know it is unwelcome in your area.

• Secure your garbage: Coyotes will raid open trash materials and compost piles. Secure your garbage in tough plastic containers with tight fitting lids and keep in secure buildings when possible. Place your trash out only on the morning pick up is scheduled, not the previous night. Keep compost piles in containers designed to contain but vent the material.

• Don't feed or pet coyotes: Feeding, even indirectly, can cause coyotes to act tame. Over time that may lead to bold behavior. For example, several Silver Lake residents have reported seeing coyotes napping on their patio furniture. Remember that coyotes that rely on natural food items remain wild and wary of humans.

• Keep your pets safe: Roaming pets are more likely to be killed by automobiles than by wild animals. However, coyotes do view cats and small dogs as potential food. They look upon larger dogs as competition. For the pets’ sake, keep them restrained and under your control whenever they are out on a walk.

• Feed your pets indoors: Outdoor feeding attracts many wild animals to your door.

• Keep bird feeding areas clean: Use feeders designed to keep seed off the ground as the seed attracts many small mammals that coyotes prey upon. Remove feeders if coyotes are regularly seen around your yard.

• Close off crawl spaces under porches and sheds: Coyotes use such areas for resting and raising young.

• Cut back brushy edges in your yard: These areas provide cover for coyotes and their prey.

• Pick up fallen fruit from around your garden: Coyotes will feast on uncollected fruit.

• Educate your neighbors: Pass pet and yard safety information along—your efforts will be futile if neighbors are willy nilly providing food or shelter to coyotes.