Your furry countryside neighbours
If you’ve been hearing an increase in barks, yips and howls, you’re likely not alone. January through March is coyote mating season, and they become much more active during this time. Coyote sightings usually occur at dawn or dusk, but daytime sightings aren’t uncommon this time of year as they roam around in search of mates.
Coyotes are an integral part of a healthy and diverse ecosystem. They are highly adaptable to diverse environments, and are known for keeping fox, raccoon, and rodent populations in check.
These intelligent animals don’t generally pose a threat to humans and usually avoid contact. However, the opportunity for human-coyote interaction is higher during mating season. To avoid conflicts with coyotes, you can take the following precautions:
- Accompany pets outdoors after dusk.
- Bring livestock into barns at night. Use livestock guardian animals.
- Never feed coyotes. Feeding coyotes lowers their natural fear of humans and increases their chance of having conflicts with humans.
- Keep garbage and compost in an inaccessible area.
- Never approach coyotes.
Coyotes showing abnormal or aggressive behavior should be reported to your local Animal Services office. Visit Coyote Watch Canada for more resources.