If you’ve been seeing more coyotes this time of year, you’re not alone.
Local residents have been reporting a paw-sitive jump in coyote sightings, as there’s a “perfect storm” of factors coming together.
Coyotes are in every city and town in mainland Massachusetts, with an estimated 9,500 to 11,500 coyotes in the Bay State. The opportunity for human-coyote interaction is high, but the mere presence of a coyote is not a cause for concern, according to MassWildlife.
“We’re at the tail end of coyote mating season, and it’s a time when coyotes can be more active and visible to the public and more vocal sometimes,” said Meghan Crawford, community engagement biologist with MassWildlife. “You can hear them howling to secure their mates and defend their territory.
“So this time of year, we tend to get an increase in reports due to increased sightings,” the biologist added. “They can show aggression toward dogs, seeing them as potential competition.”
In Newton, for instance, police recently reported a rise in reported coyote sightings throughout the city.
“While recent activity may feel new to some residents, coyotes are not new to our community!” Newton Police posted.
As coyote mating season ends, spring is coming — which means denning season is starting.
“More people are now going outside because it’s early spring and not the dead of winter,” said wildlife biologist Forrest Galante. “And what that does is it creates a perfect storm of situations, where people end up seeing coyotes more and thinking they’re a problem. But really, it’s a cyclical thing that has us crossing paths this time of year.”
Coyotes are only dangerous when they become habituated, added Galante — who has more than 2 million YouTube followers, and who has hosted shows on the Discovery Channel.
He urged people to not unknowingly feed hungry coyotes. Homeowners should not leave food or garbage outside, and trash containers should be secured.
“Don’t let coyotes become accustomed to eating near your residence,” Galante said. “Because if you unknowingly feed coyotes, then one day you could let your dog out or kids out, and then there’s a coyote waiting for you to grill your steak.
“It’s unintentional, but you’re conditioning these animals to think that you’re a potential option for food,” he added. “When that happens, then you can end up in a conflict situation, and can have a negative encounter.”
The likelihood of an actual human death is incredibly low, he stressed.
“But these animals are canines,” Galante said. “If you upset it or don’t give it what it wants, it can snap at you, it can bite you. And it can certainly kill a child, and it will eat your pet.”
Coyotes can view cats and small dogs as potential prey, and larger dogs as competition. A person’s presence next to their pet is one of the most important factors in preventing an incident.
“Protect and closely supervise pets whenever outdoors,” said MassWildlife’s Crawford, who urged people to use leashes that are 6 feet or shorter.
“If you’re 30 feet away from your pet, the coyote won’t see you, so it’s important that you stay close to your pet,” Crawford added.
People should also avoid walking pets at night or during dawn and dusk hours, when coyotes are most active.
If you encounter a coyote, do not run. Make yourself appear large, maintain eye contact, and make loud noises by yelling or clapping. This “hazing” reinforces a coyote’s natural fear of people.
“Coyotes are quite shy when faced with conflict,” Galante said. “You should be loud, aggressive and assertive. If you act like prey, they will treat you like prey, so if you turn and run and act scared, the coyotes are going to go, ‘Wow! This is something on the menu.’
“But if you look at it and go, ‘Hey! Get out of here!’ and you scream and wave your arms, that coyote is going to turn and run away,” he added. “So if you see a coyote, be a big presence, be loud, be aggressive.”
Hazing will not be effective if it’s done from inside a building, from behind a screen door, or from a car. Hazing is most effective when it’s done repeatedly, when a variety of techniques are used, and when many people participate.
If you encounter a coyote that’s exhibiting concerning behavior like approaching leashed pets, closely following people, or not running off when effectively hazed, you should contact your local Animal Control Officer or local MassWildlife office for assistance. If there’s an immediate threat to public safety, call local law enforcement.
Learn more about coyotes at mass.gov/coyotes.
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