Wild predators and small children can be real nightmare fuel for parents, and a recent video of a child and a coyote in Portland, Oregon, together went viral. Home surveillance video captured the frantic moment (pun intended) when a little girl ran into the backyard and yelled, “Daddy?” There is a coyote. Just as her (reasonably) disbelieving father says “no,” a man comes into view. “Yes,” the child replied, calmly and quickly jumping up to the game table.
Okay, we admit it: this title feels a little impossible, but bear with me, because, really, it doesn’t matter.
It’s unclear whether the animal went in that direction, fearful of the girl at the table or her dad walking toward it, or simply lost interest, but as the video continues, it turns outside into the yard. The shocked father picked up his daughter and chased the coyote. Luckily, the family had cameras installed throughout the house, so we were able to follow the coyote as it dashed away with the two other kids, but they had two very different reactions. (One immediately runs into the house, the other wanders, then goes inside and grabs a Nerf-looking gun to “protect” his father. Honestly, both are admirable.)
At this point you may be thinking “I don’t remember this much when I was a kid… or do I?” You’re not imagining it. According to scientists, coyote populations were relatively stable for about 10,000 years. Their range is quite broad. But around 1900, the numbers and range of this remarkable animal began to increase. Coyotes now live in every state except Hawaii, and coyotes have been seen as far south as Panama.
National Geographic says this explosive increase in numbers and range can be attributed to several factors: reduced hunting of coyotes; the absence of competing predators like wolves (which now only exist in relatively small parts of the United States). fewer areas); and their ability to adapt their diet to their environment. As a result, coyotes are now found throughout rural, suburban, and urban areas of North America.
But here’s why there’s no need to panic…
Will coyotes attack humans?
Yep…with a big asterisk, it’s doing a lot of the heavy lifting. In fact, between 1977 and 2015, researchers in the United States and Canada tracked a total of 367 coyote attacks, two of which proved fatal. The average number of attacks is less than 10 per year. However, this number has increased significantly in recent decades, rising sharply starting in the mid-1990s. Still, according to the University of California study, Davis found that the peak year for coyote attacks (2010) was about 25 animals. strikingly Low…especially since humans kill about half a million coyotes every year.
so: Technically Yes, but you don’t have to worry about it in your daily life. No, your kids are not in particular danger because coyotes don’t Target children. In fact, according to UC Davis, the majority of people attacked by coyotes (60 percent) are adults. Apparently, children are more vulnerable to serious harm from coyotes due to their smaller size.
Do coyotes eat cats? (Or other pets?)
Again: yes, with a big asterisk. If your cat or puppy is out and about, they possible Fall prey to hungry coyotes. That said, coyotes won’t lure your dog into joining their pack (they’re smart, but they’re not as smart as velociraptors), and they probably won’t be too interested in your cat either. Much of a coyote’s diet consists of rabbits and rodents, wild fruit, carrion and bugs. Considering these guys tend to hunt alone (perhaps pairs), and their average weight is only 30 to 35 pounds, so they are unlikely to hunt prey larger than themselves, let alone a fellow predator like a dog.
Are coyotes rabid if they go out during the day?
Let’s put it this way: You may be diurnal (active during the day), but have you ever experienced waking up for a late-night snack? Coyotes that are out during the day may be in a similar situation.
Coyotes love dusk: Their favorite time to be out and hunt is from dusk to dawn. But if they think they can get a good meal at 10 a.m. or 4 p.m., they will go for it.
Of course, like all mammals, coyotes able rabies, but unless the animal seems confused, uncoordinated, or unusually aggressive, it’s probably just hungry. Getting up during the day is not in itself a reason to believe that a coyote (or indeed any animal) is rabid. This is especially true in spring and summer, when they need to do extra hunting for themselves and their babies.
You’re more likely to see coyotes during the mating season from January to March, but between October and January the young coyotes will start venturing out on their own… because they haven’t necessarily learned how to avoid humans, you now You might catch a glimpse of them.
What would you do if you saw a coyote?
The best offense for the Coyotes is a good defense. According to the Urban Coyote Project, you first make your yard or property unattractive to coyotes. Fencing can help, but it also doesn’t help feeding Coyotes, either intentionally or by omission, from pet food (and pets), trash, compost or other food sources.
If you do see a coyote, don’t run away. If a coyote sees you, make yourself look big and make noise – yelling and stomping are both good. They might turn around because of it. if you are get closer Attacked by a coyote, making constant noises and throwing rocks at it. However, the Urban Coyote Project urges people not to create conflict where none exists: If coyotes avoid humans and mind only their own coyote business, simply admire these creatures from a distance.
