01/19/2021
We often receive questions about Eastern coyotes this time of year so we decided to share our post on coyotes in winter months. This post has reached over 40,000 people! Please continue to Share about Wildlife in Connecticut!
As we get deeper into winter, we also enter coyote breeding season. Eastern Coyotes are present in essentially every Connecticut town and are one of the most misunderstood and feared wild animals in our region. We have gathered information from a number of sources including the Association for the Protection of Fur Bearing Animals and the Connecticut DEEP with the goal of providing education on these amazing animals.
THREE BEHAVIORS MISTAKEN FOR AGGRESSION IN COYOTES
Eastern Coyotes often come across well-meaning individuals who see wildlife, particularly coyotes, acting in a way they believe to be aggressive. These observations are typically simple misunderstandings – but the consequences can be dire, leading to poor policy or general public fear of innocent animals.
Some of these behaviors include:
FOLLOWING: coyotes are highly intelligent and curious creatures, in some ways similar to your own domestic dog. It’s not uncommon for them to follow hikers, joggers, or cyclists ( known as escorting) as they make their way through a path, particularly if they have a den nearby or if the ground is snow covered and pathways are simply easier. This behavior is caution, curiosity or ease of motion, not aggression.
STARING: perhaps the most intimidating thing any wild animal can do is simply stare. Those big eyes watching you, and sometimes not running away from unusual noises or motions you make, can seem very frightening. It isn’t about being aggressive or bold, however, it’s about caution. You might be near a den site, a food source, or even have just startled the coyote. Most of the time, the coyote is watching you because you’re a big, frightening animal, and they don’t know what you are going to do. This behaviour is caution, not aggression
HOWLING AND YIPPING: the spine chilling calls of coyotes making noise at night is a remarkable thing to hear, and it’s also frequently misunderstood. There are many falsely suspected reasons coyotes call to each other including: celebrating a kill, announcing a hunt, attracting dogs....however the scientific explanation is much more simple: they’re sounding off. Coyotes do not call out in celebratory fashion with a new kill as this would alert other predators to a new food source. Instead, Eastern coyotes use their howls and yips to let other members of the family know where they are, and to let other coyote families know that this is their territory. Additionally, coyotes are capable of many different sounds, so only two or three can sound like as many as ten! This behaviour is the family GPS – not aggression.
Here an audio link of Eastern coyotes typical communication calls shared with permission from Tommy Pep. The calls, while spine tingling at times are the coyote's normal communication and amazing to hear!
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10211845840479827&id=1184775968
Remember that Eastern coyotes, just like most wildlife, avoid humans. But when they appear in human occupied space, it’s because we've promoted this contact through direct or indirect feeding, created a situation where it’s unavoidable (exploring areas where they live) or from reducing their natural habitat. Eastern coyotes want what we want: a safe place to raise their young and provide for their families. It is up to us to make sure we can all co-exist. As with all wild animals, Eastern coyotes can be unpredictable. Always use caution around Wildlife, avoid approaching and never feed.
Here is a great link to the Connecticut DEEP website with tips on how to manage and deter conflicts with Eastern coyotes...
https://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2723&q=325936&deepNav_GID=1655
Photograph taken by Bill Sweet in Wallingford, CT. Shared with permission.
