Only five coyote attacks on people have been recorded in Massachusetts since the 1950s.
A coyote roams the yard of a residence Wednesday on Southampton Road in Holyoke. With spring comes breeding season for coyotes, which are now found in every city and town in Massachusetts (except the islands).
Mass Wildlife officials advise residents to take steps to keep coyotes at a distance, so they do not continue to encroach on well-populated areas.
Breeding season for coyotes is in February and March, and the pups are born in April and May. Residents may see and hear coyotes more often during this time of year.
Coyotes are often seen at dawn or dusk, but it’s not unusual to see them during broad daylight, and it doesn’t mean they’re sick if they’re out during the day.
“Coyotes can be found everywhere – in rural areas, suburban areas and urban areas, and the reason for that is the same reason you find skunks, foxes and raccoons in all three of those areas,” said Mass Wildlife Information and Education Biologist Marion E. Larson. “They can adapt very well to the presence of people, and food availability is much higher in residential areas than in rural areas.”
Larson said residents are often not good about keeping food in animal-proof containers. The presence of trash and bird seed is often too tempting for wild animals.
“Food is a major motivator for wildlife,” she said. “Coyote families have smaller ranges in the suburbs or residential areas than they do out in rural areas.”
Coyotes expanded their range into Massachusetts in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Population estimates are hard to come by. The territories of coyote families, which typically include two adults, one or two pups born a year earlier and the pups from the current year, can range from two square miles to 30 square miles.
There are also what Larson calls the “bachelor” coyotes, who sometimes join a family group when one of the adults dies.
To keep pets safe, Larson advises pet owners to keep a close eye on them.
“You should have pets under your control and supervision at all times,” she said. “Unsupervised pets are also chasing and hunting and harassing wildlife. They’re going to have to live by nature’s rules if they’re going to be outside.”
While residents should take precautions to ensure the safety of their pets, Larson said coyotes are not interested in people, including children.
“Most people are concerned because it’s a large animal, compared to say, a fox,” she said. “They look to be about the size of a German shepherd, and I think some of that ‘big bad wolf syndrome’ comes into play.”
Residents are advised to actively use their backyards, school yards and park areas to help establish human “territory.”
“Certainly we do know there are a few coyotes that if they don’t feel people are a threat, they may become more bold,” Larson said. “They will generally avoid people, but some are losing their natural fear of people.”
Larson said just because an animal doesn’t run away when it sees a person 30 yards away, it doesn’t mean it should be perceived as a threat.
“If you have a coyote that is comfortable enough to feel like it can nap in your backyard, there needs to be action taken,” she said. “Walk towards it deliberately, you can yell, you can flap your arms, you can squirt it with a hose ... anything that’s unpredictable and makes them nervous.”
Residents aren’t really going to “get rid of” coyotes, and under state law, they can’t be physically moved to another part of the state.
Ones that are existing bold behavior, approaching a pet on a leash or approaching or following people are of concern.
“That is a red flag, and if there appears to be a public safety issue, certainly an animal control officer, police or Environmental Police have the authority to come out and respond,” Larson said.
Few coyotes test positive for rabies, compared to skunks, foxes and raccoons.
Only five coyote attacks on people have been recorded in Massachusetts since the 1950s.