The coyote, Canis latrans, has expanded its range across North America, establishing a widespread presence in diverse environments, including urban and suburban areas. This adaptability has allowed the species to thrive alongside human communities, leading to increased sightings and interactions. The coyote’s presence naturally raises questions about safety for people and domestic animals, prompting a need to understand the actual risks involved. This animal often utilizes green spaces, parks, and residential corridors, adapting its behavior to the resources available in the human-dominated landscape.
Statistical Reality of Attacks on Humans
Objective data indicates that coyote attacks on people are rare across the United States and Canada. The vast majority of interactions are non-aggressive, with the animals maintaining their natural caution. Only a handful of fatalities have ever been recorded in modern history, illustrating the low probability of a lethal encounter.
When an attack does occur, it often involves circumstances that compromise the coyote’s typical shyness. These situations frequently include the animal being fed by people, either intentionally or accidentally, which causes a loss of natural fear. Rabies or other diseases can also lead to uncharacteristic aggression, though this accounts for a small percentage of documented incidents. Most victims who are bitten do not sustain serious injuries, and encounters are usually resolved by yelling or throwing an object to scare the coyote away.
Primary Target Risk to Pets
The presence of coyotes represents a far more frequent risk to domestic pets, particularly those left unattended outdoors. Small dogs, especially those weighing under 10 kilograms, are the most vulnerable to predation, as coyotes may view them as either prey or competitors for territory. Smaller breeds, such as Yorkshire Terriers and Shih Tzus, are attacked more often, frequently resulting in severe injury or death.
Cats are also targets, though the frequency of predation varies significantly by region. While some studies show cat remains in only a few percent of coyote diets, other urban areas have reported much higher rates, indicating that coyotes consume locally available food sources. Attacks often occur during the crepuscular hours of dawn and dusk, when coyotes are most active, but they can happen at any time of day in areas where coyotes are accustomed to human activity.
Even larger dog breeds are not immune, as they can be attacked by a pair or a small group of coyotes, particularly during the breeding season from January through April. Attacks can happen when dogs are off-leash or confined to a fenced backyard. The most effective way to eliminate this risk is to supervise all pets when they are outdoors and to keep cats indoors at all times.
Understanding Conflict Behavior
Human-coyote conflict is often driven by two behavioral shifts: habituation and the availability of human-associated food sources. Habituation occurs when coyotes become accustomed to the presence of people, pets, and human activity without experiencing negative consequences. This process causes the animals to gradually lose their innate wariness, leading to bolder behavior like walking through neighborhoods during the day.
The availability of food sources directly linked to human activity further compounds this issue by drawing coyotes closer to homes. These resources include unsecured garbage, fallen fruit, and food left outside for pets or other wildlife, such as birdseed. When coyotes find a consistent, easy food supply near residences, they spend more time in the area, increasing the probability of an encounter. This reliance on human-provided resources can lead to escalating boldness, moving from nighttime sightings to daytime attacks on unattended pets.
Strategies for Prevention and Deterrence
Minimizing conflict requires a two-pronged approach focusing on proactive prevention and active deterrence. Proactive measures center on eliminating the attractants that draw coyotes into residential areas. Securing all garbage in heavy-duty containers with locking lids and removing pet food and water bowls from outdoor spaces are fundamental steps. Property owners should install fences that are at least six feet high and extend underground, as coyotes can both jump and dig. Clearing away brush and dense ground cover removes potential den sites and hiding places near the home.
When a coyote enters the area, active deterrence, or hazing, should be employed to re-establish the animal’s natural fear of people. Effective hazing involves using loud noises and dominant body language to make the coyote uncomfortable. Techniques include standing tall, yelling, waving arms, or using noisemakers like air horns or whistles. Continue hazing until the animal leaves the area, ensuring it associates human presence with an unpleasant experience. Throwing small objects, such as a tennis ball or a pebble, near the coyote can also reinforce the message without causing injury.