What to be mindful of during coyote mating season
January is the start of coyote mating season, which means we’ll likely see more of our wild neighbors out and about as they search for a mate. For many, getting a glimpse of these animals can be thrilling, but for some, it can be frightening. Combine that fear with the huge amount of misinformation out there about coyotes — especially on Nextdoor — and people can become even more on edge.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, coyotes are native to our state. They’re quite intelligent and highly adaptive animals and are found in every state in the United States except for Hawaii. Their diet mainly consists of rodents, but they also eat fish, insects, snakes, fruit and grass.
For decades, coyotes were systematically shot, poisoned and trapped to protect livestock. That’s why many older people who grew up in Marin often remark that they never saw coyotes when they were growing up. However, these important apex predators eventually returned.
To combat the fear and misinformation, it’s important to remember a few important points about coyotes:
• Coyote attacks on people are very rare. According to Humane World for Animals, formerly the Humane Society of the United States, more people are killed by errant golf balls and flying champagne corks each year than are bitten by coyotes.
• Coyotes are diurnal, so it’s not unusual to see them during the day.
• Coyotes don’t try to “lure” dogs back to their pack to be killed. However, curious, unleashed and unsupervised dogs will sometimes follow a coyote back to their den, and if feeling threatened, that coyote may defend itself. If a person unknowingly walks their dog close to a den during pupping season, the coyote may try to warn or escort the dog away — sometimes through a nip on the haunch or leg. Small dogs should always be kept on leash, as they can be perceived as prey.
• Coyotes don’t stalk people. They’re curious, so they’ll sometimes watch humans, and they’re extra watchful when protecting newborn pups, so what seems like stalking may be a sign you’re near a den.
• Cats allowed to go outside are especially at risk — not just from coyotes but also cars and other animals — so consider using a catio for them to get some outside time.
• Coyotes vocalize in a layered way, which makes it sound as if there are many in the group when it’s usually just two or three. They rarely vocalize while killing prey.
The onus is on us to keep coyotes away from our homes. We can do this by not giving them easy opportunities for food (pet food left outside, unsecured garbage, etc.), hazing them (yelling, raising your arms, jumping up and down or honking your car horn) and not letting small pets outdoors on their own.
Peaceful coexistence with wildlife does take some effort on our part, but I think most of us can agree that being around nature is one of the wonderful things about living here, so, to me, it’s worth it.
Lisa Bloch is the marketing and communications director for Marin Humane which contributes Tails of Marin and welcomes questions and comments from the public. Visit marinhumane.org, find us on social media @marinhumane, or email lbloch@marinhumane.org.