Folks have been seeing coyotes around our neighborhood recently. We’ve had a lot of discussion in our community about how to live with coyotes, and how to keep them away from homes and pets. This past fall the Seaside Gardeners of Squantum hosted a presentation by Chris Schadler of Project Coyote to help consider these questions. Following are a few tips to make your home less attractive to coyotes who are frequent neighbors in our hood.
Tips to make your home less attractive to coyotes
Urban landscapes offer an abundance of food, water, and shelter for coyotes. Take the following steps to prevent coyotes from being attracted to your home.
- Wildlife-proof garbage in sturdy containers with tight fitting lids.
- Don’t leave pet food outside.
- Take out trash the morning pick up is scheduled.
- Keep compost in secure containers.
- Keep fallen fruit off the ground. Coyotes eat fruit.
- Keep birdseed off the ground; seeds attract rodents which then attract coyotes. Remove feeders if coyotes are seen in your yard.
- Keep barbecue grills clean.
- Eliminate accessible water sources.
- Clear away brush and dense weeds near buildings.
- Close off crawl spaces under decks and around buildings where coyotes may den.
- If you frequently see a coyote in your yard, make loud noises with pots, pans, or air horns, and haze the coyote with a water hose.
- Share this list with your neighbors; coexistence is a neighborhood effort.
Tips and education from Project Coyote on their website.
Be Coyote Aware: Flyer
Project Coyote: promoting coexistence between people and wildlife
Project Coyote, a North American coalition of wildlife scientists, educators, predator- friendly ranchers and community leaders, promotes compassionate conservation and coexistence between people and wildlife. As a national non-profit organization, Project Coyote works to change negative attitudes toward coyotes, wolves and other native carnivores by replacing fear with understanding, respect and appreciation. All of their work – through education, science, and advocacy – strives to create fundamental and systemic changes in the ways wild carnivores are viewed and treated in North America.
Photo: By Jitze via Wikimedia Commons