{"id":18623,"date":"2017-12-07T22:39:21","date_gmt":"2017-12-08T03:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.spca.com\/?p=1257"},"modified":"2018-06-26T12:35:52","modified_gmt":"2018-06-26T16:35:52","slug":"top-ten-questions-about-coyotes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spca.com\/en\/top-ten-questions-about-coyotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Ten Questions about Coyotes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following several concerns raised recently by the public regarding coyote sightings in Montreal, the Montreal SPCA would like to provide information to help promote safe coexistence between humans and coyotes. To help answer the top ten questions we have received from the public on this topic, we asked Adrian Nelson, Wildlife Conflict Manager at Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals<\/a> (The Fur-Bearers) <\/em>for his expert advice.<\/p>\n

1. Why can\u2019t we simply eliminate coyotes from the city?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Removal of wildlife of any kind is never a long-term solution. The coyotes are there for a reason, be it food, shelter, etc. \u00a0Removing those coyotes \u2013 either by killing or relocating them \u2013 \u00a0only creates a void where new coyotes will eventually take their place. Studies have also shown that coyote populations that face external pressures such as trapping and hunting often produce larger litters of young to compensate, which means more coyotes in the area than before.<\/p>\n

2. Is relocating coyotes cruel?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Relocating a coyote usually represents a death sentence for that animal.<\/p>\n

Coyotes are very territorial and if relocated will do almost anything to try to return and may be killed by cars. Furthermore, they will be competing, unnaturally, with other animals for that same space and food sources, leading to potential death by starvation. Trapping and relocating coyotes who have recently had a litter means that their pups will die from starvation.<\/p>\n

3. Can coyotes be dangerous to our community, namely to children and small pets?<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

The incidences of coyotes biting humans are extremely rare. In most cases where a coyote has bitten a person, the coyote has usually been habituated to humans and expects to receive food from them.<\/p>\n

Coyotes have a natural fear of humans and if we can keep that fear intact through hazing techniques, interactions with them will remain very uncommon. The coyote co-existence program in Vancouver often goes into schools and summer camps and teaches young children how to scare off coyotes so that they need not fear them.<\/p>\n

Coyotes can obviously see smaller animals as a source of food, which is normal given their omnivorous diet. \u00a0That being said, an extensive study in the city of Calgary showed that the diet of urban coyotes was very similar to that of their rural counterparts. \u00a0In fact, it showed that domestic pets accounted for less than 1.5% of their diet.<\/p>\n

4. Do coyotes chase people?<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

A coyote will not see a person as potential prey \u2013 con\u00adsidering that their usual meal is a mouse or fallen crab apple, even small children are much too large. However, like any other species of canid (including your pet dog), they will chase something that runs from them. This is why it\u2019s important to never run from a coyote \u2013 stand your ground, wave your arms, make loud noises and\/or throw objects toward (but not at) the coyote to scare the animal away.<\/p>\n

5. Do other cities live with coyotes? Does it really work?<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Vancouver has a great co-existing program in place that has been successful for decades. The latest population studies have shown somewhere in the neighbourhood of 3,000 coyotes living in the Metro Vancouver area. With such a large coyote-human population, we see very little conflict because of the coyote co-existence programs.<\/p>\n

The program relies very heavily on public education. It addresses the following:<\/p>\n