GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA

News

Coyote sightings skyrocket, but no need to worry

By Charles Frost
Staff writer
Published: February 20, 2008

Coyote sightings have become commonplace on Cape Ann and around the rest of northeast Massachusetts in recent years.

An Essex resident reported to police last month that a coyote, which had been spotted several times, had made a den in a neighbor's yard.

Rockport's animal control officer, Mindy Trafton, said coyotes have become accustomed to living in residential areas.

"I had one trot right up to my porch from a dirt road coming from town," Trafton said .

Newburyport's animal control officer, Rebecca Taylor, attributes the recent increase in sightings to the fact that it is mating season for coyotes and they travel on average two to three miles a day.

"Because it's mating season, they are traveling a wider span than normally," Taylor said. "If they are moving into your yard, I'd be interested, but they really don't want anything to do with us."

Taylor said she has received a huge volume of calls from residents who have spotted coyotes. Coyotes also make a shriek-like howl that can be unnerving.

"People are getting very scared; a few people are hysterical," Taylor said. "This is a season where you do get to see them; another month or so and they will be hiding."

Trafton says that one factor contributing to the large number of coyotes in the area is that people are not trying to scare them away.

"I've actually seen them following people while they walk their dogs," said Trafton, who said that a brush fire in Gloucester in 1993 pushed coyotes out of their habitat and moved them into Rockport.

The best way to get rid of coyotes, according Trafton, is to chase them away by throwing rocks and making lots of noises.

"You want to establish dominance, and be aggressive," she said .

"A lot of them are around," Taylor said. "They are all healthy; it's normal to be seeing them. They are not a threat to any of the people. All the ones I have come in contact with, I look at them and they are gone."

Taylor warned that people with outdoor cats should be cautious about letting them out.

"To be quite honest, there are so many rabbits around, they aren't out looking for cats, " she said. "They are not hungry or starving. There is plenty of suitable wildlife."

According to MassWildlife, coyotes are about the size of a medium dog, averaging 4 feet in length and weighing on average between 33 and 47 pounds. Coyotes in Massachusetts range in color from grayish-black to blonde, light tan, dark tan, red and all black.

Right now, Taylor said, coyotes will have a thicker coat and look more like wolves, but soon they will start shedding their winter coats and look very rough. Coyotes will also be heard in the evenings courting, she said, as they howl and yelp.

Taylor said if you spot a coyote, the best thing to do is to leave it alone.

"Let it be," Taylor said. "Leave it alone; it's just passing by. It won't bother you. If you try to bother it, it will just run away. It is never good to harass wildlife and is never appropriate. This is a part of where we live; we have to share."

Correspondent Dan Dourian contributed to this story.

><p>

Preventing conflicts with coyotes

r Secure your garbage.

r Never feed or attempt to pet coyotes.

r Do not let pets roam free.

r Keep bird feeding areas clean.

r Feed your pets inside.

r Close off crawl areas under porches and sheds.

r Scare off coyotes with loud noises, bright lights and water.

r Cut back brushy areas around lawns.

Source: MassWildlife

Photos