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Connecticut DEP Coyote Information
It is not the policy of the South Windsor Police Department to
trap, destroy or relocate healthy coyotes .
Coyotes are active in neighborhoods
throughout South Windsor. The tips below are offered in an effort to keep
you, your family and your pets from any contact with the local coyote
population.
Living with Coyotes - Precautions
 Hardly
any animal in America is more adaptable to changing conditions than the coyote.
Coyotes can live just about anywhere. They are found in deserts, swamps, tundra,
grasslands, brush, and dense forests, from below sea level to high mountains.
They have also learned to live in suburbs and cities like Los Angeles, New York,
Phoenix, Denver and Claremont.
One of the keys to the coyote's success is its diet. A true
scavenger, the coyote will eat just about anything. Identified as a killer of
sheep, poultry and deer, the coyote will also eat snakes and foxes, doughnuts
andsandwiches, rodents and rabbits, fruits and vegetables, birds, frogs, grass
and grasshoppers, pet cats and cat food, pet dogs and dog food, carrion, and
just plain garbage.
Coyotes are active mainly during the nighttime, but they can be
moving at any time during the day. Most sightings of coyotes occur during the
hours close to sunrise and sunset. Pups are cared for by both parents and can
eat meat and move about well by the time they are a month old.
Because food requirements increase dramatically during pup
rearing, this is a period when conflicts between humans and urban coyotes are
common. By 6 months of age, pups have permanent teeth and are nearly fully
grown. About this time, mother coyotes train their offspring to search for food
so it is not unusual to observe a family group traveling through parks and golf
courses. If food is deliberately or inadvertently provided by people, the
youngsters quickly learn not to fear humans and will develop a dependency on
easy food sources.
In areas where they are hunted or trapped, coyotes are extremely
wary of human beings. However, in urban areas where they are less likely to be
harmed and more likely to associate people with an easy and dependable source
for food, they can become very bold. They will come up to the door of a house if
food is regularly present. Coyotes have learned that small dogs and cats are
easy prey.
Here are some steps you can take to reduce the chance of
human-coyote conflicts:
• Do not feed coyotes!
•
Eliminate sources of water, particularly in dry climates.
• Bird feeders should be positioned so that
coyotes can't get the feed. Coyotes are attracted by bread, table scraps, and
even seed. They may also be attracted by birds and rodents that come to the
feeders.
• Do not discard edible garbage where coyotes
can get to it.
• Secure garbage containers and eliminate
garbage odors.
• Feed pets indoors whenever possible. Pick
up any leftovers if feeding outdoors. Store pet and livestock feed where it is
inaccessible to wildlife.
• Trim and clean, near ground level, any
shrubbery that provides hiding cover for coyotes or prey.
• Fencing your yard could deter coyotes. The
fence should be at least 6 feet high with the bottom extending at least 6 inches
below ground level for best results.
• Don't leave small children unattended
outside if coyotes have been frequenting the area.
• Don't allow pets to run free. Keep them
safely confined and provide secure nighttime housing for them. Walk your dog on
a leash and accompany your pet outside, especially at night. Provide secure
shelters for poultry, rabbits, and other vulnerable animals.
• Install motion-sensitive lighting around
your residence.
• Discourage coyotes from frequenting your
area. If you observe coyotes around your home or property, chase them away by
shouting making loud noises, or blowing a whistle.
These steps may decrease the frequency of coyote sightings in
your area if practiced continuously. However,
coyotes are adaptable to change and are quick to learn new ways of survival.
Occasional sightings will mostlikely continue. By making life for coyotes in
your neighborhood more difficult, you will increase the likelihood that they
will go somewhere else.
If you encounter a coyote and it is acting in an aggressive
manner toward a human and one's safety is in danger, dial 9-1-1 and the police
department or an animal control officer will respond.
A Message from South Windsor Police Animal Control Officer Robin Bond:
Recently
there has been increased interest in the sighting of Coyotes in South
Windsor.
The information below is from our Animal Control Officers:
Coyotes resemble a German shepherd, but they are taller and thinner. The
ears are set wide and are very pointed. The muzzle is longer and more
slender. The tail is bushy and straight and usually carried low. The
colors range from cream to chestnut and many have black tipped hairs
along the back. Male coyotes can get to about 40 pounds, with females
generally smaller. Our coyotes in South Windsor tend to be pretty tall
and people have mistaken them for wolves. As far as I have been told
there are no documented wolves in Connecticut. Coyotes can attain speeds
of 25-30 mph and can sprint up to 40 mph.
Coyotes do not mate for life, but pairs may stay together. Often people
believe that “packs” of coyotes exist, but a pack is really a family
unit with a male, a female, and up to as many as 12 pups. Breeding
season is from January to March and the gestation is about 63 days. We
can expect to begin seeing litters in April to mid May. The average
litter in Connecticut is about seven, but I have never seen more than 3
or 4 to a litter in South Windsor. The family unit usually stays
together until fall when the pups are dispersed. Sometimes the pups stay
together through the first winter.
Coyotes are part of our ecosystem, right along with Bobcats and Fishers.
While coyotes may take an occasional small pet, they would rather stick
to easier prey. Coyotes are not above eating veggies and they will
scavenge road kill if necessary. Bobcats and fishers will also take
small pets and the coyote is often blamed.
Vocalizations such as yips, yelps, howls, and wails can be heard at all
hours of the day. Two coyotes howling in unison can sound like ten or
more! Most active at night and most often heard around dusk and dawn,
coyotes can be seen any time of day. I have seen them trotting through
Nevers Road Park at 2:00 in the afternoon. For several weeks we even
had one that we could set a watch by. The coyote would trot across the
soccer fields at the park, over the sledding hill on the Collins
property, across Sand Hill Road and Sullivan Avenue, and right over to
the Priest property- all between 9 and 9:15 in the morning.
Coyotes adapt easily to our human activities and will often stop to
watch us to see what we are going to do, before they decide what they
are going to do. They have been known to approach people walking dogs,
but it is most often a territorial issue as they protect their space.
Human attacks are fortunately, rare. (We have not had any
human contacts in South Windsor).
To discourage all wild animals from your property you should
eliminate food sources. Secure your trash, don’t put food scraps on a
compost pile, take away bird feeders and clean your grill. They can be
harassed with loud noises such as shouting and banging pots. A wind
chime in the back yard will even work, but it has to be moved
periodically to prevent the coyote from getting accustomed to its sound.
Fencing one’s property is always an option.
Coyotes are to be respected, but they should NOT be feared. We need them
to help keep other animals that constitute their prey in check. We can
not relocate all of the coyotes in South Windsor as I was recently asked
to do. To kill them just because they exist as another resident
suggested is not a viable option either. When I catch a glimpse of a
coyote I consider it a privilege and I take a moment to appreciate the
beauty of one of our area’s most majestic creatures.
We
are available to answer questions at (860)644-2551.
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