Published: May 13, 2008 03:14 pm            

Recent coyote attack in California should raise awareness in Georgians

Co-existence is the goal, but awareness, not ignorance, is key

Submitted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources



SOCIAL CIRCLE — The recent coyote attack on a young child in California should remind all Georgians that wild animals should not be underestimated. For the past two decades, coyotes have been present in all 159 of Georgia’s counties and have become more common in urban areas, including metro Atlanta. To date, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) has never received a report of a coyote attack on a person. In order to maintain this track record, WRD is offering residents some advice.

“Coyotes in urban environments potentially pose a greater threat to people than coyotes in rural areas,” said Mark Whitney, WRD chief of Game Management. “This is because coyotes that live in proximity to people become acclimated to the sights, sounds and smells associated with humans and can lose their fear of people. Wild animals with no fear of people are more prone to attack and may even associate people with food.”

The widespread phenomenon of wild animals associating humans and residential areas with food causes conflict on a regular basis here in Georgia and across the country. But it’s not just coyotes; it’s bears, alligators, raccoons, foxes, opossums and many other species.

So, now that Georgian’s are aware, how can they co-exist with coyotes and what can they do to keep their families and animals safe?

The most important tip: do not leave easy meals for coyotes. Coyotes are opportunistic and therefore, eat a variety of foods. In the wild they mostly eat rodents, rabbits and fruit, but given the chance, they will eat available garbage or pet food. They also may prey on small domestic animals and because of this, small house pets (especially cats), young or small livestock and poultry are vulnerable.

Here are some specific actions residents can take to help eliminate a coyote’s food source:

• Never, under any circumstances, feed a coyote.

• Keep items, such as grills, pet food or bird feeders off-limits. Clean and store grills when not in use, keep pet food indoors or feed pets indoors and refill bird feeders with small amounts and only as needed.

• Make trashcans inaccessible. Fasten lids securely or store trashcans in the garage until trash day.

• Take pets indoors at night, as this is the coyote’s primary hunting time.

• If the pet must be kept outside, install fencing and flood lights to discourage predators. Keep small livestock or poultry in an enclosed or sheltered area. Coyotes rarely bother larger livestock although they are often blamed for such nuisance instances.

Never approach a coyote that shows no fear of people, acts aggressively or that appears uncoordinated or sick. If a homeowner or neighborhood association believes that a coyote in the area is a serious issue, they can take steps to eliminate the potential problem. Here’s what to do:

• Hunting - There is no closed hunting season, and coyotes can be killed without a license or permit from WRD. Residents do need to ensure that they are abiding by local city or county firearms ordinances.

• Trapping - WRD does not offer trapping services, but does provide technical assistance and information on trapping, including a list of licensed nuisance wildlife trappers across the state. To locate a licensed wildlife trapper near you go to www.georgiawildlife.com and click on “Permits & Other Services” on the home page. Find the “Nuisance Wildlife Trappers List” beneath the “NUISANCE WILDLIFE CONTROL” heading.

Relocation is not a solution. Relocating coyotes only moves the problem into someone else's backyard. Relocation of a carnivore also may result in relocation of significant diseases, like rabies. Trapping and killing aggressive coyotes is the only way to remove a coyote that has been a regular backyard visitor.

While coyotes may closely resemble dogs in appearance, the distinctive characteristics that set the coyote apart are their upright and pointed ears, pointed snout, low forehead, mottled color fur pattern ranging from black to reddish-blonde and bushy tail that generally is carried straight out below the level of its back.

WRD stresses that while it is not necessary to be overly concerned about the presence of coyotes, it is important to be aware. For more information regarding coyotes, visit www.georgiawildlife.com.

        

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