INTRODUCING MY COYOTE YIPPS BLOG
I began this blog as an extension of my urbanwildness.com website. My urbanwildness website is about celebrating and protecting wildlife in and around our San Francisco urban setting. It is an advocacy website with no other purpose than to show how fantastic it is to have this wildlife right here in a city and to ask that everyone respect it. Our coyotes lead rich lives, full of emotion — the same emotions we experience — and full of family life — the same family life we enjoy. They are not aggressive, but some of their behaviors are geared for survival purposes, such as defending themselves and their families from dogs. Dogs can be seen by coyotes as a threat to their very survival. Dogs chasing them have been a major issue which we have the ability to control. The other major issue is keeping them wild — for their, and our own safety. Fortunately most of us know that “a fed coyote is a dead coyote.” Coyotes who are fed may become aggressive towards humans and then have to be eliminated.
My intention is to reveal the animals through photos so that we all can appreciate them. I try to explain their behaviors so that you can understand them if you come across one — mine are first-hand observations. I want everyone to know that this wildlife is here, but I do not advertise locations. Revealing locations would defeat all of my intentions and what I care most about. The coyotes and their quality of life comes first for me. Stress is caused by dogs chasing them and by a constant stream of noisy people, especially during the pupping season which is long: April through October or so. Mating season precedes this, and this also is a stressful time sometimes for them. These animals don’t need to be on show as if they were in a zoo or part of a safari.
It seems to me that the point is to explore and discover the environment — our area has fabulous parks and open spaces and neighborhoods. If you get out and explore the environment and then glimpse the wildlife that goes along with it, you will be learning more and feeling much more satisfaction than if you drive to a single location without exploring its context — that would be too much like going to the zoo.
Our Department of Animal Care and Control has this same policy of not revealing where the animals are — not only for protecting the animals, but for protecting humans who often want to feed or pet wild animals without knowing or understanding the danger they are putting themselves and everyone else into.
With my urbanwildness website, I realized that photos alone were not adequately capturing the intelligent behaviors I wanted to depict, nor, of course, the thoughts that occurred to me as I observed. So I began the blog. The postings don’t necessarily depict what is going on at the time they were posted. This is because often I have several things to post, and have decided to “spread” the postings out over a period of time. Also, I often think of behaviors with photos that occurred long ago, so these will be inserted nowhere close to the time they occurred.
Mine are observations that occur as they occur, and their randomness might tell more and be of more interest than an organized approach — however, I now have organized my postings into topic groupings, which might make it easier to find what you are looking for: TOPIC GROUPINGS of POSTINGS. Suggestions are welcome, always. Also, for a quick look at urban coyotes, take a look at Urban Coyotes Have Lives, published in WildCare’s February 2011 Newsletter. Thank you for listening! Janet
Please see article in The New York Times which appeared on March 14, 2010: Taking Walks on the Wild Side. And see the AP article which appeared all over the country on March 11 through 13th, 2011. I’ve linked to ABC News: San Francisco Residents Learn to Coexist With Urban Coyotes.
Mar 04, 2010 @ 17:05:38
Great blog cuz! Love it!!
Jun 30, 2010 @ 04:21:46
Thanks for doing this… it’s an excellent blog. I hadn’t realized there were so many coyotes in San Francisco.
Jun 30, 2010 @ 05:51:55
Glad you like the blog — I enjoy working on it. Actually, there are not so many coyotes, but they can be seen sporadically in most of the area’s parks.
Jul 02, 2010 @ 02:23:11
I love this blog! I have sighted a coyote many times not in SF but in Sausalito down in the shipyards. I want everyone to know about coyotes and their important role in eating the pests we have been unsuccessful at getting rid of- rats. Many people I talk to have the first reaction of horror and fear when I talk to them about urban coyotes, and I want to change that. More information is necessary, and the word on how mange can effect coyote behavior is part of that. Please please put more up about Rosie, as I think her story is quite compelling and wonderful.
Jul 02, 2010 @ 04:03:01
Hi Jennifer — Thank you for your comments! I’m so pleased that you like the blog! I’ve ordered Skip Haynes’ book on Rosie Coyote. I may write something up about it after I read it, but you may want to order the book yourself. You can order it from the Rosie Coyote website. Yes, people’s initial reaction to coyotes in urban areas is often negative. We all need to change that in whatever way we can. People often have a tendency to perpetuate negative sensationalist hearsay rather than look at the reality. With my blog I’m trying to show what is really going on, accentuating the stuff we can relate to. Please keep me posted on your own efforts. Thank you again for writing. Janet
Mar 17, 2011 @ 00:28:49
I LOVE COYOTES TOO BUT I AM A FERAL CAT CAREGIVER IN SF, SAN MATEO AND I WORRY ABOUT MY LITTLE ONES BEING PREDATED BY BIGGER FERALS, LIKE RACCOONS, OPOSSUMS AND YES COYOTES. FERAL MEANS NOT DOMESTICATED TO MANKIND. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS HOW I CAN DISCOURAGE COYOTES FROM EATING MY CATS? LIKE AT THE BASE OF MOUNT SAN BRUNO AND COYOTE COUNTRY, A VAST AREA OF VIRGIN WOODLANDS IN AN URBAN LANDSCAPE. I KNOW WE ARE ENCROACHING INTO THEIR HABITAT AND THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN NOT TO STARVE. I DONT WANT THAT, NOR DO I FEEL THAT TRANSPLANTING THEM IS A USABLE IDEA. NOT FOR THEM. EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE AN OPINION I CAN USE .
Mar 17, 2011 @ 06:24:30
Hi Richard — Your situation is a contradictory one because you are attempting to keep the cats wild, yet you are taking care of them. When wild animals are taken care of and fed, they lose some of the acuteness that they would otherwise be utterly dependent upon for survival. The cats may have lost the edge they had for hunting, but in fact they still do need it for escaping from predators. I admire that you care about these cats, but I’m wondering if your efforts are dulling the sharpness that they need for survival in the wild. I really don’t know — this is only a thought. From what I’ve seen, coyotes’ preferred food source is small and easy to capture rodents like voles and gophers. The wild is about survival. Pets, of course, always need to be protected from predators — these animals have lost their ability to protect themselves in the wild. Nature can be cruel, but it also is balanced, to prevent things even more terrible than death such as starvation and suffering and disease. Different animals keeping down other animal populations is an important part of that balancing in the wild.
Jul 20, 2010 @ 19:38:44
I was introduced to your blog through the savesutro blog, which I visit frequently. I was delighted by your recent comment on the savesutro blog about how we would all benefit from leaving nature alone to be whatever it is going to be. I agree with you that man does more harm than good when we presume to know better than nature.
I invite you to my blog to see many examples in the San Francisco Bay Area of the harmful effects such presumption.
Jul 20, 2010 @ 20:56:34
Hi MillionTrees: Thank you for writing in response to my comments on the Save Sutro Forest Site. I visited your blog, Milliontrees, as you invited me to do. Your site is fabulous: the right ideas along with all sorts of interesting angles. The ideas expressed here are exactly the same as mine: we are definite allies. I’ve added your blog to my site: we need to get more information out and increase access to it. Let me know if there is more I can do. Sincerely, Janet
Jul 23, 2010 @ 17:41:45
Thanks for a wonderful site. Your readers should know that groups that would like to see the Mt. Sutro forest destroyed thereby displacing and jeopardizing thousands of animals (actually a certain, agonizing and painful death) recruit their followers from all over the Bay Area to attend the UCSF community meetings to support the destruction of the forest. They claim they are part of the “community.” Well–animal lovers are part of the community, too!
I live adjacent to the forest and have seen first hand the delightful animal that come out at night. I have witnessed coyotes, racoons, possums, skunks, owls, and many other species out of my window. What a privilege to share the space without any problem.
We need all of the help we can get. Please urge follow animal lovers to attend the upcoming UCSF “community” meeting to counter the numbers of those whom seek to destroy the forest. The meeting is Monday, July 26th, at 6:30 pm., Millberry Union Conference Center located at 500 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco.
I have spoken and commented at past meetings about the animals which have come to call home the Mt. Sutro forest after 120 years of a slowly developed ecosystem existing as an island in the City. However, UCSF and its other supporters of the forest’s destruction have ignored my concerns and think nothing of an immediate destruction of precious habitat supporting so much wildlife. I hope others share my concern. Thanks for your consideration.
Sep 02, 2010 @ 02:34:56
Love the new look of your website/ blog. I realized only on a second look that the background is actually a picture of a coyote family.
Sep 02, 2010 @ 03:47:14
Thank you!! I appreciate your feedback. Your reaction to the background was perfect: requiring a second look to register what it actually is. I guess you could call this coyote saturation!
Sep 16, 2010 @ 18:21:25
Found your website while trying to research coyote behavior. We are regularly observing some very interesting behavior in our backyard (Sierra Foothills). I would love to know if anyone else has observed a coyotes burying rocks. This particular coyote carried a large rock (about 7″ x 4″) from some distant location and then buried it in the ground(!). The coyote did all of this in a very casual and deliberate manner. After placing the rock in the hole, the coyote covered it completely by pushing dirt with its nose. Then it walked away. Can anyone explain this?
Sep 17, 2010 @ 20:23:35
I haven’t seen a coyote bury a rock. Perhaps the coyote you observed perceived the rock as having value and wanted to save it for later. Perhaps it was a form of play. How do they decide ‘good object’/'good place’???? It is entertaining to read about. Perhaps the rock was a good object because another coyote had wanted it, like Janet’s two arguing over a ball; or perhaps it had an attractive smell. A good place? Are there places to hide good objects that others would either respect or not find? I say jokingly: apprently not! Now we all know where to find that coyote’s rock!
Sep 16, 2010 @ 18:48:05
Hi Heather –
The rock burial is absolutely fascinating!! I have seen a coyote bury a just-killed gopher which was then retrieved by the coyote within a couple of days, and I have seen a coyote bury an old dry snake, but I have never seen what you describe here. It sounds like your rock might have been the same size as a gopher or another small animal? Maybe it even had some strong animal smells on it? I cannot offer an explanation, but it is fascinating to know about, and maybe the “rhyme and reason” of the behavior will eventually surface. I would love to hear any more interesting animal behavior you have been able to observe. Thank you!
Nov 03, 2010 @ 19:54:17
In addition to “a fed coyote is a dead coyote” you might want to add that “a socialized coyote is a dead coyote.”
It’s imperative that we keep them wild, by keeping them healthily afraid of humans. If they lose their fear, they will eventually lose their lives.
Nov 04, 2010 @ 02:17:52
Yes. Peaceful coexistence entails keeping coyotes as naturally wild as possible. Any form of interaction with coyotes needs to be avoided. Fortunately coyotes are not interested in humans — coyotes have never approached humans in San Francisco Area urban parks. However, feeding is the one factor that could alter this balance which is why I concentrate on this.
In urban settings, there is inevitably going to be a certain amount of habituation: coyotes have become used to seeing dogs and walkers, and they therefore are out in the open more. But the goal is to minimize any interactions with coyotes. It is the interaction which is harmful.
The main form of interaction going on in our parks is that between dogs and coyotes which always brings humans into the picture. Keeping dog interactions from occurring will help.
Dec 30, 2010 @ 08:00:10
Just love this site.
Jan 16, 2011 @ 04:19:49
Thank you, Linda! I’m so glad you like the blog!
Feb 26, 2011 @ 16:07:01
Great website, thank you for posting such great information about coyotes in our urban areas. I too have a nearby canyon where I walk my dog and he is crazy for chasing them, I can no longer walk him off leash because of it. I have been photographing a slightly different angle of them then you have. In my canyon I have seen over the years the remnants of what they eat. Some of it is quite disturbing, small dog and cat carcasses, skunks, rabbits and even large birds like Herons. I have not read thru all of your posts yet but wonder if you have touched on this topic of coyotes living in our urban areas and how they survive by feeding on our trash, pets and any other means.
Some of the pictures from my canyon are here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/daren.sefcik/ChollasCreek#
Feb 26, 2011 @ 21:06:53
Hi Daren –
Glad you like the website! What you have found is probably very normal. Unless you actually see a coyote killing an animal, you cannot assume that is what happened in all instances just because he is eating it. Coyotes are just as likely to have found some of these animals already dead, having been hit by a car, killed by dogs or died in some other manner, even of natural causes. Remember that coyotes are known for eating carrion — dead animals that they have found. Their scavenging is one of the ways nature cleans up after itself. Nonetheless, they have been known to take cats and small dogs. This is why in areas where there are coyotes, it is irresponsible for owners not to safeguard their pets by keeping them indoors and leashed when walking them.
I myself have only seen coyotes eat small rodents: voles and gophers and rats. I’ve also seen them eat raccoon — I assumed this to be carrion because it was right next to a road — raccoons are fierce fighters, so this would not be the preferred choice for a coyote if easier meals are available. People have told me they’ve seen coyotes by trashcans, and I know plastic bags have been found in their scat — so this does happen. But, again, this would not be their first choice. Studies of their scat confirm that the overwhelming part of their diet consists of small rodents, which they consume entirely. Their presence in urban areas is being found to occur not because of human presence there, but in spite of it, as found by Professor Stan Gehrt.
I would love to hear more from you — either about this food issue, or anything else you find about urban coyotes. Some readers have actually posted their observations on the site so that everyone can read about them. Let me know if you would like to do so.
Mar 16, 2011 @ 07:10:52
Good photos.
It is disturbing and sad to see the cats and dogs that have been killed. For me, that does not translate into a desire to get rid of coyotes.
I keep my cats strictly indoors. It’s more work for me, but they’re healthy and enjoying life.
Mar 17, 2011 @ 03:01:22
As the author of this site pointed out to me (and I completely agree) is that some of the killed animals I have photos of may just be “second hand” kills…meaning a dog or cat may have strayed into the street and was struck by a car (or other similar non coyote related accident) and the coyotes simply take advantage of it. I have seen the hawks swoop down and grab rabbits, pick out what they want and drop the remaining carcass in the fields and the coyotes may also utilize that as a food source. My intention was not to suggest that coyotes are domestic pet killers. They are (in my observations) mostly curious and stay to themselves unless threatened and only want to live peacefully like the rest of us.
Wonderful blog….
Mar 05, 2011 @ 18:34:04
I love your blog and am looking forward to learning more about urban coyotes. On the few occasions that I’ve seen them, I’ve always felt incredibly lucky. I hope their habitat is being preserved in Mt. Sutro, I know that the UC has been doing some heavy construction in the area. I’ve also always loved the role of the coyote in Native American storytelling as well. And anyone who eats rodents is alright by me. I just hope people are getting more and more educated about not using poison to control rodents… Anyway, thanks again!
Mar 13, 2011 @ 03:04:40
Just discovered this blog. Very interesting and great pictures. I grew up on a farm in Kansas where coyotes were a part of the wildlife. They were a danger to the smaller or vulnerable farm animals but were more heard than seen. Mostly nocturnal visits, especially to chicken houses.
Mar 13, 2011 @ 03:26:17
Small farm animals are as much “food” to coyotes as they are to us — the idea of ownership is understood differently. I can imagine the precautions you had to take to keep your farm animals safe — I hope not many were taken. I’m happy that you accepted coyotes as part of the surrounding wildlife. In urban areas we don’t have these same problems. However, small pets have to be protected, for the same reason.
Mar 13, 2011 @ 21:45:51
We lived in Arizona a few years and its very common to have Coyotes around. In Tuscon, in the middle of town by city hall I seen one crossing the street also. And I never seen a single stray cat or dog out there.
In Nevada at the ski resorts Coyotes walk through the parking lot and never bother the people there, nor did they in AZ.
Our pets need to be leashed when off our property at all times except in enclosed dog parks, it would avoid allot of dog fights and getting in trouble or getting lost!
We need to understand we share this earth and not destroy everything that does not suit us at that moment. S.F. is lucky there is a little wildlife left.
Mar 13, 2011 @ 22:06:40
Hi Susan,
Thank you for writing! I appreciate your comments and I totally agree with what you say. Dogs need to be leashed when there are coyotes around. I’ve never seen coyotes bother people, either. And yes, we need to share the earth — even if it doesn’t suit us, as you say — it does not belong to us alone. I do feel extremely lucky that there is still wildlife in and around San Francisco! Thank you for supporting coyotes. Janet
Mar 15, 2011 @ 23:43:41
You are doing an excellent thing here, DO NOT ever let anyone tell you different. I completely agree that seeing these beautiful animals out an about is just invigorating! It is US who came along and paved up THEIR home and habitat, not the other way around, and its amazing that these creatures are finding a way to adapt. Your pictures are amazing. Keep it up!
Mar 16, 2011 @ 01:49:30
Thank you, Ben, for your words of encouragement and for the compliment about the photos! These are highly appreciated! Janet
Mar 16, 2011 @ 01:29:46
Great photography and great blog! Keep up all of your great work on behalf of God’s Dog! Also, thank you for posting a link to my website.
Mar 16, 2011 @ 02:41:02
And thank you, Amy, for your own wonderful photography! Photography is a great tool for building understanding and acceptance of wildlife. I’m so pleased we share these goals! Janet
Mar 16, 2011 @ 11:43:18
beautiful blog. i found it on Yahoo news and am very fascinated by the coyotes in San Francisco that I did not know about before. I do agree that we need to leash our dogs for the safety of these beautiful creatures. If no harm is done FROM them, Why should we cause harm TO them? Beautiful blog, again.
Jun 06, 2011 @ 17:49:59
Fascinating blog. I too am fascinated by urban wildlife. In my case, I track and write about NYC, where I live. In February 2010, we had coyotes spotted right here in Manhattan, one of which (a young female) took up residence for about a month in a tiny nature sanctuary in Central Park. It eventually wandered down to Tribeca, where it was trapped, evaluated and released into an undiscolosed location. I went down to the area of the park several times at dusk and was lucky enough to see the coyote – a beautiful bit of wildness in the midst of the most urban of cities.
A friend in L.A. recently had an unusual experience with a young coyote that might interest you. She wrote about it (and posted photos and video) on her blog: http://charlottehildebrand.blogspot.com/2011/06/howl.html I’d love to know your take on the video of the coyote.
Jun 07, 2011 @ 02:43:47
Hi –
Thank you for your comments and input. Your friend’s experience in Los Angeles is fascinating. I’ve never heard of a coyote following a human and then barking like that. It may have to do with the feeding which he saw. I do know, and you might let him know, that “a fed coyote is a dead coyote”, meaning that fed coyotes eventually turn to begging aggressively and then have to be put down. Best never to feed any coyote ever. As for relocating a coyote — this can be a death sentence for a coyote and is illegal in my area. I wonder why the policy is different in New York. I would love to republish your friend’s encounter on the yipps blog — do you think he might be willing to do this? Janet
Jun 07, 2011 @ 12:55:13
Hi, Janet. I forwarded your request to my friend in L.A. You might want to leave a comment on her blog post as well, if you haven’t already done so. I’ve subsribed to your blog and look forward to following your posts.
Jun 07, 2011 @ 16:41:02
Thank you so much! Yes, I will comment on her blog as you suggest. Glad you like the yipps blog! Janet
Jun 07, 2011 @ 17:21:04
Hi Janet, fantastic urban wildlife blog and pics. Please feel free to republish my post about the coyote in Los Angeles being fed by my neighbor that outwalkingthedog mentions. The coyote section starts halfway down, and also, if you click on the word “toddler,” you will be directed to an earlier post about the same coyote as it was last year napping in the canyon. I worry about this little fellow, as it appears to be totally dependent on the food it gets from my neighbor’s abundant table—along with the skunks, raccoons, crows and ferrel cats—although the coyote has a special dining area just for him/her(?). I have talked to this neighbor before about feeding wildlife (I didn’t know or was in denial that she was feeding the coyote until this recent post), and she does not understand, or care, that what she’s doing is harmful; in her head she’s “helping.” As you can see in the video, the coyote must have taken me for an interloper, and found its way behind my house and started barking at me. I would really appreciate any input or experience you or anyone else has had on how to talk to someone like my neighbor to stop the behavior, short of calling the authorities, which I will do if pressed. Again my post is at: http://charlottehildebrand.blogspot.com/2011/06/howl.html
Thanks! Charlotte
Jun 07, 2011 @ 18:42:51
I really appreciate your letting me republish your article — it’s great writing!
It is very difficult to talk to people about changing their ways with animals. You might gently let Thea know that “a fed coyote is a dead coyote”, that coyotes often turn around and “bite the hand that feeds them”. You can explain this in terms of shark behavior: Scuba divers often go down to see sharks, protected by metal cages. When on the ocean floor, they encounter sharks and actually feed them — often hand feed them. The problem is that this trains the sharks that around humans, there is food. What happens next is that the sharks begin aggressively demanding food from other unsuspecting divers who then encounter extremely aggressive sharks. The same is true of coyotes. Once coyotes become aggressive, they are almost always put down. Let Thea know that she is actually helping the coyote more by not feeding it.
If this doesn’t work, there is a woman who is great with this kind of stuff. Her name is Mary Pagliery. We possibly could get her to call Thea. She is part of an organization called http://www.littlebluesociety.org. She is very soft-spoken, and was recommended to me by humane societies in this area specifically to solve this type of coexistence problem. Let me know if you would like to go this route and I’ll try to help.
Jun 07, 2011 @ 19:25:45
Thanks Janet, I left you a reply on my blog, more in detail, but want you to know I appreciate the useful info, and also the scoop on Mary Pagliery, if for nothing else, it’s a fascinating subject—human-animal conflict resolution. Wow!
I will be following your blog, and also updating you on what happens. Wish me luck, and thanks, Charlotte
Jun 08, 2011 @ 07:36:24
Hi Charlotte,
It’s Mary Paglieri, Little Blue Society. Janet called my attention to your current issue with your neighbor. I’m a human-animal conflict consultant with a background in animal behavior. I’ve worked with coyotes for over a decade, studying their natural behavior and also using techniques to modify the behavior of coyotes that have acclimated to humans and human-use areas.
I read your post and watched the video on your blog. My comments are as follows:
- Coyotes bark when they are alarmed – the vocalizations show this adolescent was quite fearful of your presence. Aggression is a fear-based response, so please do not approach this coyote again.
- It’s a young, healthy animal, and is most likely hunting as well as coming around for the supplemental feeding. This would indicate one of two things: It is either not finding an adequate amount of natural prey and needs the “help” to get through this season. Or it is an orphaned coyote that is not a proficient hunter – yet.
- Patience is the best policy in dealing with coyote issues such as this. If Animal Control is called, no doubt, this coyote will be trapped and destroyed. Given time, this coyote will leave on it’s own, regardless of whether your neighbor is leaving food or not. Coyotes mature quickly, and it is impossible to “erase” their natural instinct to forage.
- Numerous studies and my personal observations have shown that wildlife prefer their native prey over non-native food sources – however, if they come across a non-native food source, they MAY take advantage of it, depending on how plentiful their natural prey base is.
I would continue working on your neighbor in a non-threatening way to help her understand that she may be doing more harm than good. And if you’re not successful in getting her to stop – I’m certain that, given time, this coyote will stop coming around on its own. Please keep us abreast of your observations and your progress on this issue.
Best – Mary
http://www.littlebluesociety.org
Jun 08, 2011 @ 08:18:20
Janet – this is really a wonderful and informative blog. The photos are incredible! Keep up the great work on behalf of North America’s native Song Dog!
Mary
Jun 08, 2011 @ 11:58:57
Thank you, Mary, very much! I’m glad you like it!! Janet
Jun 08, 2011 @ 21:03:38
Hello Richard Pepper,
Re: protecting your feral cats from predation:
- Raccoons will not harm your cats – I have seen them respectfully taking turns eating at feeding stations. And they do keep a safe distance from each other.
However, coyotes and bobcats are a different story. As Janet said, your kitties are now a part of the “food-chain.” You may lose one from time to time, but there are ways you can help them escape from predators:
1. I like to use “escape tunnels.” PVC tubing works best. It must be at least 6 feet in length, and the opening around 12 inches – wide enough to accommodate the largest kitty , but not so small that they can get stuck. You can paint the tubes to blend in with the environment and strategically place them in bushes along the path that the kitties use, or areas that you’ve seen them scatter to, when startled.
2. The tubes must be wedged on either side by heavy concrete blocks (can be bought from the gardening department at Home Depot), to keep it stationary, otherwise the tubes will roll.
3. Introduce the escape tubes to your colony, by placing a little bit of wet food inside the tunnel, to pique their interest.
4. Check the tubes frequently to make sure no animals are stuck in them. Call the Peninsula Humane Society for help to remove any stuck animals. (650) 340-8200 – ask to speak with a dispatcher.
The opening of the tube will not be large enough to accommodate a coyote or bobcat. The kitties can find a safe haven in the tubes, until the predator loses interest and moves on.
Please let us know how it goes…
Best – Mary
http://www.littlebluesociety,org
Jun 18, 2011 @ 03:54:29
HELLO JANETT…ME ALEGRA QUE CONTINUES CON TU PASION DE CUIDAR LOS COYOTES Y HACER QUE LOS DEMAS LOS VEAMOS CON OTROS OJOS…..COMO SE MIRA A UN BUEN VECINO…..YO LES TENIA MIEDO Y APRENDI A QUERERLOS A TRAVES TUYO….UN ABRAZO DESDE CALI COLOMBIA. HELLEN
Jun 18, 2011 @ 05:15:54
¡Gracias, Hellen! Sí, continuo siempre como antes. Ojalá que otros también aprenderán a quererlos. ¡Hasta pronto! Tu amiga en SF, Janet
Aug 11, 2011 @ 22:20:26
Fantastic website; thanks for all the work. I am trying to listen to/download coyote vocalizations. I can listen to the audio when it is combined with video, but not the audio-only “bars”. Any idea what to do about it?
Aug 12, 2011 @ 05:17:21
Glad you like the website. I’m not sure these are downloadable, but you should be able to hear them on the site. Could it be your browser?
Oct 21, 2011 @ 08:04:39
I live in Tucson Arizona. We often see coyotes in our neighborhood, which is in the heart of the city. My dog (a 70-lb male black Lab) has shown little interest in them, even when we have encountered them within 10 ft of us (walking with the dog on a leash). They often follow us from a short distance and seem curious.
Anyway, we frequently go to an urban park late at night so the Lab can play fetch his favorite toy, a flashing lighted ball. This grassy little developed park lies along a very popular, mostly undeveloped linear park that follows a river bed (long ago, used to be an actual river) through the city and serves (inadvertantly) as a wildlife corridor. About two weeks ago, a coyote actually came up to the Lab in the park and they circled and sniffed, maintaining a short distance apart. There were no vocalizations except my dog making a very quiet, low-pitched warbling sound I’d never heard before — not a bark or growl at all.
Anyway, tonight I threw the ball across the park, my dog took off after it—and then he stopped short, as the ball appeared to pick itself off the ground, bound back and forth a few times, and disappeared into the underbrush. My dog ran partway back to me, the way he does when he can’t find the ball and needs help to find it. It was a moonless night, and my flashlight was running low on batteries, but I am pretty sure it was a coyote that took his ball. I saw the green eye shine. My husband followed it a couple of hundred feet into the brush to try to get the ball back and saw it join up with three or four other animals of the same size. They all ran off, and the ball disappeared.
So we got the “reserve” flashing ball out of the car and started to play fetch again. But on the third throw, the ball again picked itself off the ground and disappeared into the underbrush. My poor dog seemed mystified and sad.
I had no idea that coyotes were interested in toys like balls, or would come that close to a human (maybe 25 ft away) to steal a toy from a large dog (maybe 10 ft away). I was amused and a bit alarmed—will we no longer be able to play ball in our park without coyotes stealing them? Will the fact that there was no apparent antagonism between my dog and the coyotes mean that they may attack him in the future? Or is this the beginning of a dog–coyote friendship? I would be very interested to hear your thoughts, with all of the experience you have observing urban coyotes.
Oct 21, 2011 @ 13:45:00
Hi Lauren –
I enjoyed your story. Coyotes are very curious, especially the younger ones. I have seen them choose any number of dogs which they have approached out of curiosity and interest. I think they want to find out about them. After awhile, the interest always subsides. If you don’t want the coyotes taking your balls you can make loud noises or even toss small stones in their direction (not at them) to discourage them. If you really mean it, you’ll want to be aggressive in the way you do this. If you saw four coyotes, that is a family group, so most likely your little thief was a youngster.
It may be your dog’s disinterest that attracted the coyotes. I used to hike with a fellow whose dog was not at all interested in the coyotes, never chased them, just nodded at them in passing, but this disinterest may have encouraged a couple of young coyotes to occasionally come up to him and sniff him. One coyote would sometimes take the sticks the dog left after chewing on them. After many months, the coyotes lost interest and no longer came around. Another young coyote would watch a fellow throw pine cones for his dog — the coyote was fascinated. One day, after the pine cone had been tossed a little further than usual, this coyote ran up to it, grabbed it and ran off with it — he was so happy to have the enchanted object. I have seen coyotes pick up a stick and then look at a dog — always a disinterested larger dog — as if to say, hey, I can play too! The interest in the stick or ball or pine cone is that the dog was having so much fun with the toy.
About the ball, here is a sequence of photos which I caught: a coyote playing all alone with a ball. I’m sure the coyote, a young one, had watched in amazement at the joy a dog had received from the ball.
http://coyoteyipps.com/2010/05/26/fantastic-fun-fun-fun/
http://coyoteyipps.com/2010/11/02/stealing-a-dogs-pinecone/
http://coyoteyipps.com/2010/06/24/wanting-to-play-with-dogs/
Ultimately it’s best not to encourage a friendship, but a few curious encounters is not going to create problems. In the cases I’ve seen, though, if “Mom” is around, she most often will try to discourage the encounters by putting on her little warning dance. If this happens, it is best to leash the dog and move on. She is actually trying to teach her pups to beware of strangers! So, my advice is to know what is going on, not to become alarmed, but at the same time not to encourage a friendship. Janet
Oct 21, 2011 @ 08:10:02
A follow-up to my last comment: I always enjoy seeing the coyotes and marvel at their boldness, but would it better all around to try to keep them afraid of us, e.g., by throwing rocks or yelling?
Oct 21, 2011 @ 20:09:21
Hi Lauren and Janet, My experiences with interactions between my dog and one particular coyote family (pack) here in the Los Angeles area, and between my dog and various other coyotes we have met in our late night walks do leave me with the opinion that it is better all around to prevent dog/coyote interactions. You didn’t mention if that particular dog park’s perimeter is fenced where it runs along the wildlife corridor? If it isn’t, advocating for installing some fencing would help prevent dog/wildlife interaction. At our dog park, the few coyotes that transit by respect the fence and are afraid of the people. They may look in, but they keep moving.
Yelling and stomping in place should at the minimum move your coyotes back, but even with that, they don’t always completely leave and at night and with plenty of cover, its hard to tell if they are truly gone or our of view. When playing catch, you and your husband could stand apart and have your dog fetch the ball as you and your husband toss it back and forth to each other. That way if a coyote comes up, your dog would be closer to one of you and you could yell and stomp while being fairly close to your dog and the coyote.
As it sits now it sounds like the coyotes, while in transit, stop because they find the dog park to be a source of entertainment on their journey. Yelling, stomping in place, banging loud things, standing your ground and staring at them should take the fun out it for them. When coyotes want space, they scrape the ground and yip, which stomping and yelling mimic. For me, tossing stones in their direction would be a last step. You could start with that, but it isn’t as much fun as pretending to be a coyote yourself and following their messaging ‘rules’.
If it wasn’t the case that the coyotes were in transit, that is, if instead you and your dog were in a place special to the coyotes, a space which they claimed, the best thing is to back off the coyote and to then leave and not go back. The dynamics are different when the coyote is on ground where it has specific interests at stake as opposed to when it is just out and about foraging in fairly neutral spaces.
Oct 28, 2011 @ 13:18:12
whoah this blog is fantastic i love reading your articles. Keep up the good work! You know, lots of people are hunting around for this information, you could help them greatly.
Dec 21, 2011 @ 19:43:30
Hi, I would NEVER want to hurt a coyote and while I enjoy reading your blog, the coyotes in AZ are becoming vicious and bold!! They have pets and have attacked people as well.
I am so scared when walking my dog that I feel like a prisoner!!! It doesn’t matter what time a day one walks their dogs. They have also jumped my next door neighbors back yard looking for food. Thank goodness her SMALL dog was inside when this happened.
Coyotes are now becoming bold and mean toward people.
I would like to have positive experience like many on this blog, but, I am frightened for my pets safety when walking.
Any adivse would be most appreciated! Thank you, Kalo
Dec 22, 2011 @ 17:36:48
Hi Kalo — I’m sorry the situation is not a happy one for you. Most problems are actually caused by humans. For instance, if coyotes are fed by other humans, this could create a problem: coyotes who are fed could begin demanding food, and then doing so aggressively. Also, any type of food, including dog food, should not be left out in yards — leaving food out serves as an invitation to coyotes to come visiting. So, tell your neighbors not to feed coyotes, or leave pet food out in their yards. I would be very surprised if coyotes were attacking humans: this would be considered abnormal coyote behavior. Coyotes really try to avoid humans: “Leave coyotes alone and they will leave you alone”. But pets, especially small pets, must be protected from coyotes. Coyotes survive on prey — they don’t know the difference between a wild animal and a small domesticated pet. It is up to you to protect your pets by keeping them indoors or on a short leash when you are out with them. Coyotes are very territorial and see dogs as competition for their territories — this is nature at work, they feel they must protect their territories, from competitors like other coyotes and dogs, to survive.
Coyotes are easy to shoo off, though: by angrily yelling at them, or by tossing a pebble in their direction. You have to let them know that their close proximity is not welcome.
Right now, too, coyotes are looking for mates and forming bonds. January-February is mating season and then comes pupping season. These are all times of high coyote activity. So right now It would be best if you could walk your dogs in non-coyote areas — maybe where there are a lot of people out walking — I think this would make you feel more comfortable and feel safer. Please see the coyote coexistence guidelines at the beginning of the blog. Janet
Dec 22, 2011 @ 19:58:32
Hi Yipps,
I am very much enjoying this site and have been reading EVERYTHING!!!
I am starting to understand Coyote behavior better than before!!!!!
You are doing a great job!!!
When my neighbor and I noticed more coyotes than ever comming into our neighborhood, I did state to her that someone must be feeding them.
Now, I realized that they are not being fed via a bowl, but as stated it could be via exposed trash, left out cat or dog food, fallen fruit from trees…Hopefully, I can get some help from my neighbors to educate them….
I have a 21 pound dog that is considered small, but, she does look medium small…
Do you think a coyote would ever consider her “prey”
I was also told by my friends and vet to carry pepper spray and a walking stick should one get bold and come close.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks for your reply back!
Kalo
Dec 23, 2011 @ 02:02:32
Hi Kalo — I’m so glad you are enjoying the blog and are learning from it. That is the best compliment I could hope for! Thank you! About your small dog, the possibility exists that it might be seen as prey — I have heard of small dogs being grabbed by a coyote. But even if your small dog is not seen as prey, your dog will be seen as a territorial intruder. Territorial intruders, if they are simply passing through, are “tolerated” — but it’s best to move through the area uneventfully or, better yet, if you have encountered problems or antagonisms of any sort, take your walks in a different area. I’ve seen coyotes approach small unleashed hyperactive Jack Russells — I’m sure their attention was drawn to the hyperactive exploring activity of these small dogs which alarmed them. Again, it’s best to always keep your dog leashed when you go out for a walk in a coyote area. Your dog has no wilderness survival skills and needs your protection and proximity. You can shoo a coyote away, your dog cannot. I can’t imagine that you would ever need pepper spray. Janet
Jan 10, 2012 @ 16:24:19
I just stumbled upon your blog and love it! Fascinating commentary and beautiful pictures. We live in an area that is mixed small farms/woods interspersed with more developed neighborhoods, and have lots of wild critters but sighting are few and far between since they all tend to be wary and mostly nocturnal. Last night I heard an explosion of high pitched yipping and yammering – very shrill barking – very close by. It continued for just a couple of minutes and I was curious about the sound and googled and found your blog. Possibly what I heard was anxiety (we have dairy goats and have two livestock guardian dogs that live with them) or families meeting and greeting. Once our big dogs started to bark in response I think the coyotes quickly moved on.