Texas coyote sightings, attacks on pets increase during denning season

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Some Central Texas residents have reported seeing more coyotes recently, leading to concerns about potential attacks on people and pets.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) tells KXAN that coyote attacks on people are "extremely rare." The agency's main focus with coyotes is in assisting local governments, such as the City of Austin, in "coordinating nuisance coyote control and public education."

"Coyotes live with and among people in all urban areas in Texas," TPWD said, "Coyotes typically avoid people. In fact, people are often surprised to learn that coyotes are important predators in urban areas and keep other wildlife populations in check (especially rodents and rabbits but also skunks and raccoons)."

TPWD also compared urban and suburban coyotes to deer, calling both "symptoms of a broader issue" -- human expansion into habitats.

"People continue to expand housing subdivisions and other human development into what used to be open range wildlife habitat, especially on the expanding fringes of large metropolitan areas. This is increasing the potential for encounters and conflicts between people and wildlife," TPWD said.

What is 'denning?'

One coyote behavior that may be causing more sightings is "denning," described as "protective territorial messaging behavior" by naturalist Janet "The Coyote Lady" Kessler. Kessler has observed San Francisco's urban coyote population daily for around 16 years.

According to her website, coyotes defend a territory with multiple dens, moving their pups from the location as they see fit. She describes that her documentation shows just under 20 territories in San Francisco, with each being up to 2 square miles large.

These territories are built during the animals' breeding period of mid-January to March, and persist until the pups are old enough, according to TPWD.

"The coyote requires minimal shelter to survive, but it will use a den for the birth and care of its young," TPWD said. "Coyotes usually prefer to take use of an abandoned badger den or natural cavities rather than dig their own den; however, they will make the necessary renovations by excavating multiple escape tunnels linked to the surface."

The coyotes' defense, Kessler said, is "messaging" to dogs and small children -- sometimes lurking up from behind before loudly barking and making an aggressive display. The goal, she writes, is to get a trespasser out of the territory.

What to do in a coyote encounter

If you see a coyote acting non-aggressively, TPWD recommends keeping calm and not responding or interacting with the animal.

But if an encounter occurs, TPWD said to "show them that they are not welcome."

"Showing it signs of aggression each time it is seen, will usually discourage its presence and helps to re-establish its fear of humans. Coyotes follow predictable patterns, and negative behavior can often be corrected," TPWD said.

Some ways to accomplish this include:

• Making loud noises, such as yelling, clapping or using a whistle;
• Large, assertive movements, such as waving hands, stomping feet or jumping;
• Spraying water; and,
• Throwing small objects at the animal with the intent to hit.

TPWD asks the public to report any encounters with aggressive coyotes to local authorities.

In such a report, TPWD recommends including information about:

• When and where it occurred;
• What was the coyote doing;
• How far was it from you;
• How you acted and how it responded; and
• Were pets or other wildlife nearby

"Aggressive behavior is not normal and could be a sign of an unhealthy or habituated animal. Notify city authorities and TPWD to document the incident and attempt to notify others living in the area so that they can take appropriate precautions," TPWD said. "A well-structured coyote reporting program will allow community leaders to determine the coyote’s level of habituation and make informed management decisions."

However, avoiding an encounter altogether may be preferable:

• Don't feed wildlife intentionally;
• Avoid attracting rodents by securing trash and cleaning up brush piles, firewood, fallen seed from bird feeders and fallen fruit from trees; and
• Don't allow pets to roam outside without supervision