Coyotes are one of the most adaptable animals there is. Their favourite habitat is open grassland or semi forested, near open areas, around some type of water. They love to sleep in bushy or grassy fields, where it is easy to burrow down, but hard to sneak up on them without making noise. They can be found almost anywhere in North America, Europe, and Asia, from the forests, deserts and prairies, to urban cities and parks. They will mate for life whenever possible, and often travel in packs. There have been reports of Coyotes attacking people, although this is very rare. They will move to anywhere they can find food and water.
Coyotes can be a real problem to farmers with smaller livestock, such as calves, pigs, sheep, goats, or poultry. This problem isn’t as serious if there is a steady supply of rabbits, mice, and other small prey. They will even eat out of your garden or compost. Many farmers will still kill coyotes on sight; all it takes is one night for them to destroy your chicken coop. They are omnivorous, and will eat whatever food is available. Even frogs and insects are eaten by the Coyote.
The Coyote is comfortable living anywhere. As humans have encroached into their normal habitat, they have adapted very well to an urban environment. They have a good effect on the biodiversity of most areas they live in. The destructive rodent population is kept way down when Coyotes are present. Most people feel very nervous about Coyotes in their town, as this is a definite danger for their small children and pets.
If you have Coyotes living near you, there are precautions you must take. Some of these are:
– Pick up any fruit that has fallen from your trees.
– Do not leave any garbage outside.
– Install motion activated outdoor lighting.
– Keep all your animals in at night. Cats may need to be indoors all the time.
-Teach your children that these are wild animals, not friendly. They should know not to approach any strange dogs anyway. If they are smaller children of a vulnerable age, NEVER leave them unattended.
– A 6 ft high fence with no way underneath will help make the above precautions easier. They are able to jump this; however they probably won’t bother to.
– Spay your female dogs. Coyotes have been known to mate with dogs in heat. The resulting pups will be a lot harder to train than normal dogs, although they will be very smart. They will also retain their predatory nature.
