Increased coyote sightings in Strathmore

There has been an increase in reported coyote sightings on social media, with the coyotes being seen primarily in parks and by the irrigation canal. If you see a coyote, what can you do to stay safe?

Alberta Fish and Wildlife explained if you encounter a coyote, the best way to prevent any conflict is to make the experience unpleasant for the animal. This not only addresses the immediate concern of a coyote encounter but also teaches the coyote that it shouldn't interact with humans. There are several ways you can do this, being:

• Respond to their presence aggressively by making yourself appear larger. Wave your arms overhead, or thrust long objects like a walking stick toward the coyote.
• Shout in a deep voice and maintain eye contact.
• If the coyote continues to approach, back away slowly and move toward buildings or human activity if the coyote continues to approach.

As for what you shouldn't do:

• Do not turn away or run. This will encourage the coyote to chase you.
• Never approach the coyote
• Don't feed them
• If you have pets, keep them inside and safe. If you take a dog for a walk always have it leashed, and if you have a cat keep it indoors so it doesn't get attacked.

Coyotes can stay in neighbourhoods for several reasons, with a key reason being food. Because of this, Alberta Fish and Wildlife strongly discourages littering of any kind. Not only does this make our parks look bad, it also attracts coyotes. In a similar vein of logic, always pick up your dog's poop, as the smell will also attract coyotes.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife added they've tried removing coyotes from cities and towns before, but this has been unsuccessful for several reasons. Lethal methods can be dangerous when used near people and pets, and coyotes are also smart so they quickly learn about traps and how to avoid them. As for simply moving them somewhere else, other coyotes will simply fill up the now coyote-free area. Even if coyotes could be fully removed, they provide convenient pest control as they primarily eat rodents, so keeping them around does benefit humans as well.

You can learn more about coyotes at alberta.ca/coyotes.aspx

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