Someone asked me in a PM about coyotes - but I thought I'd answer here.
Coyotes are EVERYWHERE in the US. See the attached articles - in 2009 it was estimated that there were around 2,000 in Chicago. They also exist in NYC and virtually every major city and suburban area in the US. Most people are completely unaware that they live among us as they excel at being undetected.
http://urbancoyoteresearch.com/About_Coyotes.htm
http://urbancoyoteresearch.com/Coyote_Attacks.htm - Shih Tzu appear to be a favorite, and I have two!!
http://urbancoyoteresearch.com/Avoiding_Conflicts_With_Coyotes.htm - this is a good list.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105385196
ohioline.osu.edu/b929/pdf/b929.pdf
http://www.startribune.com/local/118886834.html
And yes, coyotes ARE in suburban Maryland:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Plants_Wildlife/animalbits/abcoyote.html
"They now inhabit most of North America. Locally, they are found in all of the Mid-Atlantic States and ALL Maryland counties. Coyotes live in a wide variety of habitats including grasslands, mountains, woodlands and farms. They are very adaptable and readily use areas developed by humans such orchards, fields, gardens and even backyards."
Good information copied and pasted:
Be prepared!
If you are concerned about encountering an aggressive coyote, you may want to keep a deterrent handy. Deterrents can include rocks, pots and pans, tennis balls, tin cans filled with nails or coins to make loud noise and a super-soaker filled with vinegar.
If a coyote approaches you:
* Appear to be as Big, Mean and Loud as possible
* Make yourself appear larger (stand up if sitting)
* Wave your arms, throw objects (not food) at the coyote and use your deterrent
* Shout in a deep, loud and aggressive voice
* If the coyote continues to approach, DO NOT RUN or turn your back on the coyote. Continue to exaggerate the above gestures while maintaining eye contact and moving toward an area of human activity
When are coyotes a risk to people?
Although naturally curious, coyotes are usually timid animals and normally run away if challenged. Coyotes can be a risk to people if they have become comfortable around humans, usually as the result of feeding.
It is not normal for coyotes to attack or pursue humans, especially adults; it is a learned response to human behavior. You can discourage coyotes from feeling comfortable around you by responding to their presence and eliminating coyote attractants (food sources) from your yard and neighborhood.
Remove coyote attractants in your area
Coyotes should not feel comfortable around people or their homes. If a coyote is comfortable in your neighbor’s yard, it is also comfortable in your yard, around your children and your pets. If you see a coyote in your neighborhood, you should do your best to make it feel unwelcome. You can discourage coyotes from hanging around your home by scaring coyotes off your property and by removing coyote attractants, such as
* Accessible garbage or compost, including fruit that has fallen from trees or shrubs
* Outdoor pet food and water (stored or fed)
* Rodent habitat: neglected yards, garages or sheds
* Make sure your neighbors and others in your neighborhood do the same
Keeping our pets safe
Recognizing the risk is the first step toward preventing conflict between coyotes and your pet. Coyotes will prey on outdoor cats and small dogs. Pets have been reportedly taken from backyards, open spaces and even right off the leash. There are, however, some things you can do to reduce the risk to your pets:
If you own a cat: The only way to guarantee your cat’s safety is to keep it indoors. Removing coyote attractants from your yard and neighborhood will reduce the probability of a coyote visiting your home. Outdoor cats face potential death from cars, diseases, parasites, raccoons and dogs, in addition to coyotes.
If you own a small dog: If you are aware of coyotes in your neighborhood, you can greatly reduce the risk of conflict if you:
* Keep your dog on a short leash while outside and avoid extension leashes
* Supervise your dog when it is off-leash in the yard
* Walk your dog at times and places that coincide with high pedestrian traffic
* Keep your dog in front of you; if your dog stops, keep an eye on it
* Dog walk with other people
If you own a large dog: Coyotes pose less risk to medium-to large-sized dogs. Keep large dogs on leash, except in designated areas, and discourage your dog from feeling comfortable with coyotes by preventing it from “playing” or interacting with a coyote.
---------------------
Look on youtube for "coyote" and you can see many videos of coyotes in urban and suburban backyards. Or google "suburban or urban coyotes" or coyotes in your area.
A recent famous example of a coyote taking a small dog is when Jessica Simpson's maltipoo was taken despite a human being with her outside.
http://www.pawnation.com/2009/09/15/jessica-simpsons-dog-daisy-taken-by-coyote/
--------------
I am not personally concerned about coyotes attacking ME, and I'm not afraid of them. I don't believe they are a threat to humans. I had a very close encounter with a quite large coyote on the street right in front of my house (well lighted with streetlights) about a year ago - and it ran away as fast as it could. I would be against any eradication program in my area. I think that coyotes serve an important purpose in reducing rodent populations, geese, etc. On the other hand, I am VERY aware of keeping my small pets protected and I will not let them outside alone or even outside at night very far away from me. This is why I have a small area fenced in near my porch and deck despite having a six foot wooden fence around my entire large backyard. This smaller area is very well lighted with floodlights. My cat is never allowed outside.
My last sighting of a coyote was a couple of weeks ago when I was driving late at night - one crossed the road ahead of me. Earlier that month I saw a young deer cross the road at that same place - we also have many deer, foxes and raccoons in Atlanta. At one point I was feeding a raccoon in my yard but then I realized that was rather foolish and I stopped doing that. He would sit up in a tree near the deck and would also sit on the roof of the three season porch.
I have never heard coyotes howl or yip so not hearing them doesn't mean that they are not around. Occasionally we will see a dead coyote on the roads around my neighborhood. And sometimes we see signs up in neighborhoods warning that coyotes have been sighted and that cats are missing. A few neighbors have had daylight sightings. Most of my neighbors have never seen a coyote - I think they probably just aren't as observant.
Pat
Coyotes are EVERYWHERE in the US. See the attached articles - in 2009 it was estimated that there were around 2,000 in Chicago. They also exist in NYC and virtually every major city and suburban area in the US. Most people are completely unaware that they live among us as they excel at being undetected.
http://urbancoyoteresearch.com/About_Coyotes.htm
http://urbancoyoteresearch.com/Coyote_Attacks.htm - Shih Tzu appear to be a favorite, and I have two!!
http://urbancoyoteresearch.com/Avoiding_Conflicts_With_Coyotes.htm - this is a good list.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105385196
ohioline.osu.edu/b929/pdf/b929.pdf
http://www.startribune.com/local/118886834.html
And yes, coyotes ARE in suburban Maryland:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Plants_Wildlife/animalbits/abcoyote.html
"They now inhabit most of North America. Locally, they are found in all of the Mid-Atlantic States and ALL Maryland counties. Coyotes live in a wide variety of habitats including grasslands, mountains, woodlands and farms. They are very adaptable and readily use areas developed by humans such orchards, fields, gardens and even backyards."
Good information copied and pasted:
Be prepared!
If you are concerned about encountering an aggressive coyote, you may want to keep a deterrent handy. Deterrents can include rocks, pots and pans, tennis balls, tin cans filled with nails or coins to make loud noise and a super-soaker filled with vinegar.
If a coyote approaches you:
* Appear to be as Big, Mean and Loud as possible
* Make yourself appear larger (stand up if sitting)
* Wave your arms, throw objects (not food) at the coyote and use your deterrent
* Shout in a deep, loud and aggressive voice
* If the coyote continues to approach, DO NOT RUN or turn your back on the coyote. Continue to exaggerate the above gestures while maintaining eye contact and moving toward an area of human activity
When are coyotes a risk to people?
Although naturally curious, coyotes are usually timid animals and normally run away if challenged. Coyotes can be a risk to people if they have become comfortable around humans, usually as the result of feeding.
It is not normal for coyotes to attack or pursue humans, especially adults; it is a learned response to human behavior. You can discourage coyotes from feeling comfortable around you by responding to their presence and eliminating coyote attractants (food sources) from your yard and neighborhood.
Remove coyote attractants in your area
Coyotes should not feel comfortable around people or their homes. If a coyote is comfortable in your neighbor’s yard, it is also comfortable in your yard, around your children and your pets. If you see a coyote in your neighborhood, you should do your best to make it feel unwelcome. You can discourage coyotes from hanging around your home by scaring coyotes off your property and by removing coyote attractants, such as
* Accessible garbage or compost, including fruit that has fallen from trees or shrubs
* Outdoor pet food and water (stored or fed)
* Rodent habitat: neglected yards, garages or sheds
* Make sure your neighbors and others in your neighborhood do the same
Keeping our pets safe
Recognizing the risk is the first step toward preventing conflict between coyotes and your pet. Coyotes will prey on outdoor cats and small dogs. Pets have been reportedly taken from backyards, open spaces and even right off the leash. There are, however, some things you can do to reduce the risk to your pets:
If you own a cat: The only way to guarantee your cat’s safety is to keep it indoors. Removing coyote attractants from your yard and neighborhood will reduce the probability of a coyote visiting your home. Outdoor cats face potential death from cars, diseases, parasites, raccoons and dogs, in addition to coyotes.
If you own a small dog: If you are aware of coyotes in your neighborhood, you can greatly reduce the risk of conflict if you:
* Keep your dog on a short leash while outside and avoid extension leashes
* Supervise your dog when it is off-leash in the yard
* Walk your dog at times and places that coincide with high pedestrian traffic
* Keep your dog in front of you; if your dog stops, keep an eye on it
* Dog walk with other people
If you own a large dog: Coyotes pose less risk to medium-to large-sized dogs. Keep large dogs on leash, except in designated areas, and discourage your dog from feeling comfortable with coyotes by preventing it from “playing” or interacting with a coyote.
---------------------
Look on youtube for "coyote" and you can see many videos of coyotes in urban and suburban backyards. Or google "suburban or urban coyotes" or coyotes in your area.
A recent famous example of a coyote taking a small dog is when Jessica Simpson's maltipoo was taken despite a human being with her outside.
http://www.pawnation.com/2009/09/15/jessica-simpsons-dog-daisy-taken-by-coyote/
--------------
I am not personally concerned about coyotes attacking ME, and I'm not afraid of them. I don't believe they are a threat to humans. I had a very close encounter with a quite large coyote on the street right in front of my house (well lighted with streetlights) about a year ago - and it ran away as fast as it could. I would be against any eradication program in my area. I think that coyotes serve an important purpose in reducing rodent populations, geese, etc. On the other hand, I am VERY aware of keeping my small pets protected and I will not let them outside alone or even outside at night very far away from me. This is why I have a small area fenced in near my porch and deck despite having a six foot wooden fence around my entire large backyard. This smaller area is very well lighted with floodlights. My cat is never allowed outside.
My last sighting of a coyote was a couple of weeks ago when I was driving late at night - one crossed the road ahead of me. Earlier that month I saw a young deer cross the road at that same place - we also have many deer, foxes and raccoons in Atlanta. At one point I was feeding a raccoon in my yard but then I realized that was rather foolish and I stopped doing that. He would sit up in a tree near the deck and would also sit on the roof of the three season porch.
I have never heard coyotes howl or yip so not hearing them doesn't mean that they are not around. Occasionally we will see a dead coyote on the roads around my neighborhood. And sometimes we see signs up in neighborhoods warning that coyotes have been sighted and that cats are missing. A few neighbors have had daylight sightings. Most of my neighbors have never seen a coyote - I think they probably just aren't as observant.
Pat
We haven't seen them, but we hear them running through the woods, and "Yip yip" yipping as they run/pace around the corners of our backyard fence (the floodlights end about 15-20 feet from the back fence, the back fence is about 75 ft from the deck) and when they are chasing/killing something.
