Coyote Yipps
Information and stories about San Francisco coyotes: behavior & personality, coexistence & outreach, by Janet Kessler: Unveiling first-hand just how savvy, social, sentient and singular coyotes really are!
About My Site and Me: This website reflects my 14 years of intense, careful, and dedicated field-work — empirical observations — all photo-documented without interfering or changing coyotes’ behaviors. Be welcome here, enjoy, and learn!
Coyotes reappeared in San Francisco in 2002 after many years of absence, and people are still in the dark about them. This site is to help bring light to their behavior and offer simple guidelines for easy coexistence.
My information comes from my own first-hand observations of our very own coyotes here in San Francisco. They have not been studied or observed so thoroughly by anyone else. Mine is not generic information, nor second-hand.
Note that none of the coyotes I document and photograph is “anonymous” to me: I know (or knew) each one of them, and can tell you about their personalities, histories, and their family situations. There have been over 100 of them, distributed among over twenty families, all in San Francisco. Images and true stories have the power to raise awareness and change perspective.
Contact: Janet@coyoteyipps.com
© All information and photos in my postings come from my own original and first-hand documentation work which I am happy to share, with permission and with properly displayed credit: ©janetkessler/coyoteyipps.com.
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Current Coyote Behavior Photo Display at Randall Museum (extended and still running since February 2019)
Zoom Talk: Coyotes in San Francisco: Population, Family Life, Stewardship
(A crash course in SF coyotes!)
October 18th Presentation at PHS/SPCA: Inside the Lives of Urban Coyotes
(Another crash course in coyotes generally!)
Instagram: Coyoteyipps
The pups born this year in San Francisco are now over five months old. Some of them look like does, like this one.They are born with the instinct to flee quickly from people and dogs. Those who have had sparse visual contact with people retain that behavior, whereas those whose parents have integrated themselves into human presence, have pups who seem to be taking on the same casualness towards humans as their parents. There definitely is culture involved: culture is learned behavior that gets passed down. This little guy retains his instincts to flee lickety split as humans come into the scene. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote
Youngster coyote examines a monster tractor at dawn at a construction site, with workmen all around. Unfazed, she slowly meandered away continuing to sniff the ground. This is city life. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #urbanwild
For more information, Google: bay nature talks: screening of "don't feed the coyotes". I’m in this film. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyotes #urbanwildlife
San Francisco icons include our wild coyotes and Ghirardelli Square, in addition to the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, our Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, our wild parrots, the Transamerica Pyramid, and more. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #sanfrancisco
Four way tug of war. Having something in your possession is only fun if someone comes after you for it, and here they did! This is older brother (to the left) and then three pups who are almost five months old and beginning to resemble what their adult shape and look will be. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #urbanwildness
Ahhh, you are right -- not a coyote. This here is Zephyr -- a Ridgeback -- one of my grand-dogs -- yep, a canine grandchild. He's getting along in years so he's wobbly, lumpy and bumpy all over, all of which add to rather than detract from who he is. Today is his birthday. He turned 15! Older dogs have a special place in my heart. As my own dogs aged, I became more and more attached to them: I think we became more "one". By their old age, we had gained a total understanding of each other and worked in tandem -- communication was achieved by a glance, a touch, or simply by telepathy. I'm putting these photos in here just for a change of pace, and to celebrate his birthday. :)) #ridgeback #ridgebacksofinstagram
Coyote communication is intense in order to get the message across under no uncertain terms. It is intense, insistent and persistent which makes it very scary to us civilized humans. In this photo, an older sibling is messaging his younger brother: the messaging occurred right after the younger siblings warmly greeted and welcomed older brother back from an outing. But the youngster probably forgot to kowtow low enough, or something seemingly trivial like that. I want everyone to notice older brother here, the guy with the snarly face, angry eyes, wrinkled nose, gaping mouth, and teeth showing. As I say, coyote communication is intense. This, along with deep growling or grunting is how they communicate with each other. So it should be expected that when a coyote who feels threatened by a dog's presence anywhere around his/herself or his/her denning area -- which could be over half a mile away from an actual den -- is going to use the same intensity, insistence and persistence. The next photo is of a coyote messaging a dog who has entered her denning area. The intent isn't to maul the dog, but to *message* the dog to keep moving on or communicate that the territory is taken. It should be seen as *coyote denning messaging behavior*. For more, see "Coyote Denning Behavior 101" on my coyoteyipps.com blog. Your best option is to always stay vigilant, keep your distance from any coyotes, and walk away and keep walking away from a coyote the minute you see one. Pick up small dogs as you walk away because small dogs are the size of prey that coyotes normally go after. Medium and large dogs are not. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #urbanwildlife
One of my sons told me that my message needed more directly to be to the point with as few words as possible. I think this will work now. Please don't feed coyotes. Please spread the word. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #urbanwildlife.
The sun was a huge red orb yesterday morning, and then a partial orb as it slid under the clouds. And a coyote was out, so I got them both in the same frame. The coyote was probably unaware of the sun’s appearance, but he could probably smell the smoke which caused its bright color later in the day, as I could later in that day. The sun actually washed out totally in the photo, becoming visible only when I reduced the exposure by editing it — and even then, the bright red I had seen with my naked eye became an orange/yellow in the photo, and the coyote became a black silhouette until I swiped the “increase exposure” roughly over his image. Anyway, the fires in California are raging, and wildlife as well as humans are being impacted: displaced, maimed or killed, and families disrupted. Natural disasters are part of life. Havoc sets the stage for renewal, I guess. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #urbanwildlife
Same coyote, same howling session, different angle — instigated by a loud and high-pitched car alarm. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #urbanwildlife
Ignited by a particularly shrill and loud car alarm this time, instead of sirens. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #urbanwild
"What a sweet photo", you might think, right?, but actually there's more going on than meets the eye. These are two siblings, not littermates, a year apart in age. Well, we know about siblings in our own families, and it's not much different in coyote families. Here, older brother, to the left (but head to the right) is attempting to pilfer younger brother's dead gopher, but younger brother is keen to older brother's intentions. In the end, they work it out and younger brother gets to keep his gopher: growing up is a learning experience for everyone. #coyotecoexistence #urbancoyote #urbanwildlife
Be A Coyote Ambassador!
INTRODUCTION PAGES
Top Posts & Pages
Coyotes: What to Know and Do
Download & Print Flyers
- Como espantar a un coyote para que se vaya
- Conflictos con coyotes
- Coyote Advisory from our video
- Coyote Coexistence & Dogs
- Coyote Facts & Fiction
- Coyotes Playing With Dogs
- FACTS MATTER, #resist (STOP TRAPPING)
- Farms and Ranches: the Futility of Killing Coyotes as a Management Tool
- Guía Para Coexistir Con Coyotes Urbanos
- Guidelines For Coexistence
- How To Handle A Coyote Encounter: A Primer
- Killed By Rat Poison – Flyer
- Sign in CHINESE: 土狼警讯
- Sign in SPANISH: ALERTA COYOTE
- Sign: Coyote Advisory
- Trilingual Video Poster
- Truth About Coyote Conflicts
- 共存简要守则 – Guidelines in Chinese
Published Articles & Recap
- A View Transformed: from fear to understanding
- Bay Nature Connections Interview
- Bay Nature: Raising Kids In The City
- Ciudadanos Coyotes: Vamos a conocerlos: Una introducción
- Coyote Behavior & Peaceful Coexistence
- Coyote Town: Leave SF's Coyotes Alone, by Julia Wong
- Coyote Whisperer Warns of Coyote Encounters During Pupping Season
- Coyotes: Beyond The Howl
- EXHIBIT: Coyotes, Beyond the Howl
- Family First: Wily Coyote's Here to Stay, by Linnea Due
- How To Coexist With Wild Coyotes — From SF's Own 'Coyote Whisperer'
- How to get Along With Coyotes As Pups Venture Out, Bay Nature
- How To Handle A Coyote Encounter: A Primer
- Inside A Coyote Family
- Janet Kessler: The Urban Coyote Watcher, by Leath Tonino
- Keep Our Coyotes Safe & Wild
- Making Peace With Coyotes by Tripp Robbins
- On First-Name Basis With San Francisco Coyotes
- Pacifica: Neighbors in the Night
- Photographer's Raccoon Adventure in GGPark
- Recap: My Position Regarding Coyotes
- Reservoir Coyotes, by Tom Molanphy
- San Francisco Residents Coexisting With Coyotes, by Robin Hindery
- SF Coyotes PODCAST 2/2020
- SF's "Coyote Lady", SacBee
- Sharing Bernal Hill With Our Coyote: A User's Guide
- The Bernal Hill Coyote is a Female and Human "Kindness" Could Kill Her
- The Coyote Whisperer, by Shelby Carpenter
- The Need For Wildness, by Tara Lohan
- The Need for Wildness, by Tara Lohan
- The Woman Who Follows Urban Coyotes
- Urban Coyotes Have Lives (PDF version)
- Wildlife In Focus: Coyotes
- YIPS & HOWLS EXAMPLES
TRANSLATION
Web Advocacy and More
- Anticoagulant Intoxication Fact Sheet
- Aversion Conditioning by Lesley Sampson
- Caught On Camera: Presidio Coyotes
- Citizen Coyote: Let's Get To Know Them: An Introduction
- Ciudadanos Coyotes: Vamos a conocerlos: Una introducción
- Cook County, Illinois, Coyote Project
- Coyote Lives In Maine
- Coyote Photos by Charles Wood
- Coyote Settles the South by John Lane
- Coyote Tracker
- Coyote Watch Canada
- COYOTECOEXISTENCE FACEBOOK
- CoyoteCoexistence Facebook (alternative link)
- COYOTECOEXISTENCE.COM
- Coyotes As Neighbors: Video
- Coyotes, wolves, cougars. . forever
- Coyoteyipps INSTAGRAM
- Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research
- FACTS MATTER, #resist (STOP TRAPPING)
- History of San Francisco's Native Plant Program, NAP
- How To Coexist With Wild Coyotes — From SF's Own 'Coyote Whisperer'
- International Consensus Principles for Ethical Wildlife Control
- Mapping Expansion of Coyotes Across the American Continent
- Melanie Furr: America vs. the Coyote
- Micromanagement of Nature Benefits Few Animals
- NapRap
- Rat Poisons Are Harmful
- Save Mount Sutro Forest
- Saving Trees In The Bay Area
- SF Coyotes PODCAST 2/2020
- SFForest.Net
- The Need For Wildness, by Tara Lohan
- The Woman Who Follows Urban Coyotes
- Urban Coyotes Have Lives
- URBANWILDNESS.COM
- Wild Dog Foundation
- WildCare: Live Well With Wildlife
- Wildlife Services: License to Kill
Published Articles & Recap
- A View Transformed: from fear to understanding
- Bay Nature Connections Interview
- Bay Nature: Raising Kids In The City
- Ciudadanos Coyotes: Vamos a conocerlos: Una introducción
- Coyote Behavior & Peaceful Coexistence
- Coyote Town: Leave SF's Coyotes Alone, by Julia Wong
- Coyote Whisperer Warns of Coyote Encounters During Pupping Season
- Coyotes: Beyond The Howl
- EXHIBIT: Coyotes, Beyond the Howl
- Family First: Wily Coyote's Here to Stay, by Linnea Due
- How To Coexist With Wild Coyotes — From SF's Own 'Coyote Whisperer'
- How to get Along With Coyotes As Pups Venture Out, Bay Nature
- How To Handle A Coyote Encounter: A Primer
- Inside A Coyote Family
- Janet Kessler: The Urban Coyote Watcher, by Leath Tonino
- Keep Our Coyotes Safe & Wild
- Making Peace With Coyotes by Tripp Robbins
- On First-Name Basis With San Francisco Coyotes
- Pacifica: Neighbors in the Night
- Photographer's Raccoon Adventure in GGPark
- Recap: My Position Regarding Coyotes
- Reservoir Coyotes, by Tom Molanphy
- San Francisco Residents Coexisting With Coyotes, by Robin Hindery
- SF Coyotes PODCAST 2/2020
- SF's "Coyote Lady", SacBee
- Sharing Bernal Hill With Our Coyote: A User's Guide
- The Bernal Hill Coyote is a Female and Human "Kindness" Could Kill Her
- The Coyote Whisperer, by Shelby Carpenter
- The Need For Wildness, by Tara Lohan
- The Need for Wildness, by Tara Lohan
- The Woman Who Follows Urban Coyotes
- Urban Coyotes Have Lives (PDF version)
- Wildlife In Focus: Coyotes
- YIPS & HOWLS EXAMPLES
Download & Print Flyers
- Como espantar a un coyote para que se vaya
- Conflictos con coyotes
- Coyote Advisory from our video
- Coyote Coexistence & Dogs
- Coyote Facts & Fiction
- Coyotes Playing With Dogs
- FACTS MATTER, #resist (STOP TRAPPING)
- Farms and Ranches: the Futility of Killing Coyotes as a Management Tool
- Guía Para Coexistir Con Coyotes Urbanos
- Guidelines For Coexistence
- How To Handle A Coyote Encounter: A Primer
- Killed By Rat Poison – Flyer
- Sign in CHINESE: 土狼警讯
- Sign in SPANISH: ALERTA COYOTE
- Sign: Coyote Advisory
- Trilingual Video Poster
- Truth About Coyote Conflicts
- 共存简要守则 – Guidelines in Chinese
Web Advocacy and More
- Anticoagulant Intoxication Fact Sheet
- Aversion Conditioning by Lesley Sampson
- Caught On Camera: Presidio Coyotes
- Citizen Coyote: Let's Get To Know Them: An Introduction
- Ciudadanos Coyotes: Vamos a conocerlos: Una introducción
- Cook County, Illinois, Coyote Project
- Coyote Lives In Maine
- Coyote Photos by Charles Wood
- Coyote Settles the South by John Lane
- Coyote Tracker
- Coyote Watch Canada
- COYOTECOEXISTENCE FACEBOOK
- CoyoteCoexistence Facebook (alternative link)
- COYOTECOEXISTENCE.COM
- Coyotes As Neighbors: Video
- Coyotes, wolves, cougars. . forever
- Coyoteyipps INSTAGRAM
- Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research
- FACTS MATTER, #resist (STOP TRAPPING)
- History of San Francisco's Native Plant Program, NAP
- How To Coexist With Wild Coyotes — From SF's Own 'Coyote Whisperer'
- International Consensus Principles for Ethical Wildlife Control
- Mapping Expansion of Coyotes Across the American Continent
- Melanie Furr: America vs. the Coyote
- Micromanagement of Nature Benefits Few Animals
- NapRap
- Rat Poisons Are Harmful
- Save Mount Sutro Forest
- Saving Trees In The Bay Area
- SF Coyotes PODCAST 2/2020
- SFForest.Net
- The Need For Wildness, by Tara Lohan
- The Woman Who Follows Urban Coyotes
- Urban Coyotes Have Lives
- URBANWILDNESS.COM
- Wild Dog Foundation
- WildCare: Live Well With Wildlife
- Wildlife Services: License to Kill
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Jan 01, 2016 @ 01:44:42
best to you as well and continued excellent songdog reporting
Sent from my iPad
>
Jan 15, 2016 @ 10:40:15
These pictures are wonderful! Wishing CoyoteYipps and all the coyote families in San Francisco a great 2016.
Jan 15, 2016 @ 18:28:42
Thank you, SF Forest Alliance! And let’s hope it’s a good year for saving trees and forests in San Francisco and beyond! Janet