Coyotes moving into towns, countryside

The emergence of the coyote in Alabama has become so prolific that state wildlife officials are certain they will be among or close to people in populated areas for a long time.

The clever canine’s population has grown so much that in neighboring Decatur the city council voted to hire the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Wildlife Services to help get the situation under control. Coyotes in Decatur have been seen near an elementary school and have attacked pets, according to an article released by The Associated Press.

All of this behavior is not unusual for the coyote, according to Jud Easterwood, supervising wildlife biologist for the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries in Tanner.

“The prevailing theory is they moved in from the west after changes in the landscape from development,” Easterwood said. “They are opportunistic hunters and are not going to turn down a meal. They’re here and they’re going to be here. You’re not going to eliminate them.”

Biologists note that coyotes are adaptable to various environment and now lives throughout North America down into Central America. They adopt to human environments to find food and may live closer to homes than anyone expects.

“If you see them frequently, they may be living in an abandoned field or a small wooded area. Typically, they are going to be near or around an area where there are food sources. But that’s where you have to be smarter about how you do things,” Easterwood said.

Cats, small dogs and leftover pet food left outside can become a target for coyotes easily. Making sure small pets are not left unattended and that any pet food or food from the home is not left outside can help keep coyotes away.

“A small poodle or dog left yapping in the yard is like a dinner bell to a coyote. They are predators and scavengers, so they figure out quickly when a meal is available,” Easterwood said. “For anyone who lives in the country and has a lot of land around you have no limits on hunting them. The only rules are you can only shoot during the daytime and you cannot spotlight them at night. You can also trap them.”

The Alabama Division of Wildlife can also refer property owners to nuisance hunters who are under contract and specialize in eradication of coyote or other wildlife consider dangerous.

Across Cullman County, reports of coyotes have been made in both municipal and rural areas. Some home owners have lost pets or small farm animals such as chickens and roosters.

“One of the best things you can do is leave nothing for them to cause them to come back,” Easterwood said. “They are typically afraid of humans and will avoid contact if at all possible. If you come across one that is not afraid then it may be diseased or starving.”

Recognizing coyotes is not always easy because they may resemble a stray dog and have some resemblance to wolves, which are believed to no longer exist in Alabama. Some people, Easterwood said, have mistaken coyotes for red wolves that used to inhabit the state. But the only known population of red wolves is a small group in North Carolina.

“Coyotes have different colors. Some may be red like the red wolf, which is only slightly larger than a coyote,” he said. “There are solid black ones or some that are black with touches of white. There has even been a chocolate colored one like a lab.”

Coyotes vary in size by their health and food sources. They can be seen full-bodied with thick fur weighing 40 pounds or more, or they may be scrawny and look much like an underfed stray dog.

Coyotes will eat deer, dogs, cats, various other animals and have been known to eat some fruits and vegetables.

Questions or concerns about coyote populations can be directed to state wildlife officials at 256-353-2634.