What should you do if'a coyote approaches you? 4 Try 10 scare it way immediately. Don' stand ond wateh ‘Shout, whistle, lop your hands, Stomp your feet and make some loud oi ‘© Weve your arms, widen your stance or wave a walking stick ~ anything to make you look bigger. Establish dominonce: Toke © step or lunge toword the coyote. Throw rock or stick init alrection, but not directly at it * Pick up small dogs and children. * Koop scoring the coyote until it's out of sich. Coyotes will protect their pups, so slay away from dene f you suspect © den is nearby, slowly beck awoy from the aree. ‘Share these solutions with neighbors 50 everyone works together. WHAT TO DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER A COYOTE: DON'T PANI ees coer ee Cee ances Conan Ee eee Prana rar Additions proble tip Do not leave pet food outtide. It ‘you hove to feed your pet outside conly give them the amount of food they con eat in one sitting Bring bird feeders inside ot night cond remove the seed that fall on the ground. Bird feeders attract squirrels, ‘opossums, which in urn antracts coyotes. Don't hang any Feeders ‘when coyotes ore inthe area ice, raccoons ond Secure garboge containers and compos bins. Fence gardens and compost piles Keep B8Q grils clean, including the ‘rere tap. Supervise pets while they are inthe Yyord os coyotes can climb over or dig beneath most fencing. Consider kenneling unattended dogs. Plug holes under fences and block coccess fo crawlspoces under sheds, ‘out buildings, porches ond hovter. Keep cote inde, to avoid with coyotes Pua eee cara feet eee Cee Ce Sk eee es nclude: Instll motion-se lighting cround the house, or turn on outside lighting and check the yard for unwonted animale before letting « dog outside at night Consider leashing your log if coyotes core roaming the area. Clean up dog droppings, 0: they will ettract coyotes. Wolk your dog on a short, non retractoble leath that Is highly visible; @ coyote Is les likely to attack @ dog i they #60 it os part of you. Avoid walking ‘your dog at the same time or on the some rovte every doy, as coyotes leorn patterns Don't leave small children unattended. Show kids pictures of coyotes then instruct them to never approach a coyote or run from one. Children should olio learn how to scare away coyote. Do net let your dog chate or “play” with © coyote; the coyote wil defend itself ‘ond your dog may be injured. Educote your neighbors about these Quidelines. Keeping coyotes wild ond wary of humans is @ community effort. Go online 10 www.urbancoyoleresearchcom to learn more. fekygou Spring 2017 Kentucky Afeld. 19JOYOTES, ONCE LIMITED to ‘the western prairies, are now com- / mon in suburban and urban areas across the country. Neighborhood and city residents not used to being around these animals often have questions about how to deal with them. A basic understanding of the behavior of coyotes — and following some simple guide- lines ~ can help reduce conflicts with these wild animals ‘Now is the time of year when coyote sightings increase, Coyoies roam more as breeding season begins around February. ‘Their visibility continues into July as they care for their new pups. Sightings pick up again in the fall, when juveniles disperse to find their own territories, Coyotes may be less tolerant of people around their dens while they are raising pups, especially when someone gets too close, Coyotes are adaptable animals that can use a variety of dens, Sites can include 18 Kentucky Afield Spring 2017 hollow trees or logs, rock crevices, brush piles, abandoned groundhog burrows, self- excavated holes, abandoned buildings or junk piles “Total eradication of coyotes is not pos sible. Trapping and removing, coyotes will only resule in new coyotes moving in to 0c- cupy empty territories, Efforts to eradicate coyotes can actually increase their numbers females may brced at younger ages and give birth to larger liters, The survival rate of pups may increase due to less competition Puen for food. Fortunately, coyotes typically avoid hu- ‘mans ~ unless people create situations that attract animals to their homes. Commu- nities must work together to maintain the natural fear that coyotes have of humans and create an environment where coyotes and humans can better co-exist. ‘The number one rule for dealing with ‘coyotes is not to feed them or provide them with a food source. Discourage your neigh bors from feeding coyotes or leaving food ‘out for feral eats or other wildlife Coyotes fed by people may lose their natural fear of humans and become aggres sive, Nature already provides plenty of food for these omnivorous animals. A coyote’s buffet may include mice, rabbits, frogs, in- sects, carrion, goose eggs and fruit. A eoy- ote in search of an easy meal may also take advantage of dog food left on the porch, tunsecured garbage and garden fruits such as watermelon and strawberries. frekygov