Coyotes Sightings No Cause for Concern (2005-02-02)

Tom Conroy Information Officer DNR Southern Region 261 Hwy 15 South New Ulm MN 56073 507/359-6014 tom.conroy@dnr.state.mn.us 

February 1, 2005

For additional information, contact: Don Nelson, DNR Area Wildlife Manager, Rochester; 507/280-5066

DNR: Coyotes Sightings No Cause for Concern

They're extremely timid and reclusive. They prefer to move under the protective cover of faint light, usually at dawn and dusk. And should they encounter a human, their first instinct is to get far away, as quickly as they can.

They're coyotes and they can be found throughout North America, including Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the coyote is one of the most adaptable animals in the world.

As communities and homeowners continue to expand their backyards into areas that have traditionally supported wild animals, an inevitable intersection occurs between wildlife and people. And because the coyote is so resilient and able to survive in a wide variety of habitats, it is now being seen in areas where it was not previously noticed.

Such sightings, understandably, can make some people nervous, acknowledged Don Nelson, DNR Area Wildlife Manager at Rochester, especially if they have little first-hand experience with wildlife. Recent reports of coyote sightings in and around the City of Rochester have had just that affect, Nelson said.

But, Nelson added, "if there is one thing I want to stress it is that your odds of being bitten by the neighbor's dog or cat is a lot higher than ever being bitten by a coyote. Coyotes want nothing to do with people and there has never been a documented case of a coyote attacking a person in this state," Nelson noted.

Nevertheless, Nelson said there are several common sense steps that can be taken to minimize the possibility a coyote might come visiting. "Probably the most important thing is not to leave pet food, garbage or anything else a coyote might be tempted to eat sitting around outside. The coyote's diet is really varied and it seems able to exist on whatever the area has to offer," Nelson noted.

While the coyote's preferred diet consists largely of small mammals such as rabbits, squirrels, mice and rats, they will also take game birds, gophers, domestic fowl and cats, if given the chance. Young deer and livestock can also occasionally be a part of the diet, in addition to certain fruits and fish.

Over the years, coyotes "got a bad rap" and there were extensive campaigns to poison, trap and shoot them "into oblivion," Nelson stated. "They were blamed for all kinds of problems that they really had nothing to do with. It took a while to get better educated about coyotes."

It is has been discovered, for instance, that coyotes and red fox do not mix well. When coyotes move in, red fox tend to move out, to the benefit of ground nesting birds such as pheasants, waterfowl and certain songbirds. "Red fox are a lot harder on these ground nesters than coyotes are," Nelson pointed out.

"Basically, I want people to know that they don't need to worry, that coyotes aren't going to bother them," Nelson said. In the unlikely event that a coyote that does not immediately run off when encountered, Nelson advises that "you throw something at it, holler, act aggressively toward it. It'll be heading for the hills in no time."

"This is hardly a situation unique to the City of Rochester," Nelson stated. "People have been living next door to coyotes in this country for many, many years now. And we will be for many more years to come. Lots of people love the idea that they might be able to see a coyote, or hear them howling at night. But then, there are those who just aren't familiar with coyotes and get a little nervous." Nelson also noted that "the internet is full of information about coyotes, should anyone be interested in learning more." Type in the key search words "urban coyotes" and "you'll find tons of information."

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