Comments on: Coyotes! – Who Knew? http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/ in Kitchen and Garden and all around the House Sun, 20 May 2012 01:46:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MimiR http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-5130 MimiR Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:22:43 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-5130 I've lived in coyote country. They LOVE to eat cats and chickens, as well as small dogs, but they really do leave large dogs alone. In areas where they become very, very used to humans--like a field across from a school that backs up to the mountains--they'll get aggressive enough to go after medium-sized dogs and will even attack children, especially very small children. I would be extraordinarily dubious of stories of coyotes attacking a middle schooler or adult, however, even very unshy coyotes. I didn't mind the coyotes. It was the bears (that would stroll into my backyard), the rattlesnakes, and the occasional young, reckless mountain lion scared me much more, especially for my preschooler! We got two very large dogs, who kept the bears and mountain lions out of the backyard and barked at rattlesnakes. <em>Hi Mimi, Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experiences with Coyotes. I do not doubt your first hand experience; neither do I doubt the accuracy of the reports of Coyotes attacking and even killing adults. The difference, it seems, between these two experiences probably has to do with the way we have used the same term "Coyote" to refer to two different breeds of wild dogs. I take it from your mention of Mountain Lions and Rattlesnakes that you are from the west. I have seen both Coyote and Wolves in the Idaho/Montana/Colorado area. The Coyotes I frequently saw out there all appeared to be of the 'pure' Canis latrans variety, and were much smaller and quite differently colored than the Wolves I saw. The 'Coyotes' here in the east appear to be a genetic mixture of the Western Coyote, with the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) and Domestic Dog (Canis lupus familiaris). These are much larger, appear in a wide range of color variation, and also have a different set of behavioral patterns than their Western cousins. Coyote hunters in my area have sent me photos of some of those which they have killed and they are indeed large animals, up to 70 pounds or more. Many actually look like wolves, large rangy animals with aggressive demeanors. When I show photos of these to visitors, they almost universally say, "That's not a Coyote; That's a Wolf!" Yet analysis of the DNA shows that @ 80-85% of their genetic material is Coyote. (@ 10% Wolf, and 5% Domestic Dog.) According to the NY State Biologists who have studied the Genetics, Behavioral Patterns, and Ecology of this Eastern Race of Coyote this unique genetic combination provides them with a very successful set of advantages to both live near humans and to be able to successfully exploit the Eastern White-tailed Deer population. Though not as large as your Western Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus), the ones here in the east (Odocoileus virginianus) are large formidable animals. The average size of a yearling I harvest weighs in the neighborhood of 125 pounds, gutted, and large males in rut which I have taken weigh in at @ 190 pounds, gutted. Alone I cannot drag one of these out of the woods or lift it into the back of a pick-up truck. A collision of even a middling sized animal will 'total' a mid-sized automobile. Interestingly, the large pack of Coyotes which moved into our neighborhood to exploit the herd of White-tailed deer at a nearby airport have dissipated following the dramatic reduction in the size of the deer herd caused, in large part, by their predation. Both the deer herd and the Coyotes could be easily seen by aircraft approaching the landing strip, as could their behaviors and subsequent decline of both populations. If I understand the biologists correctly, it is after this readily available source of food (Deer) is depleted that the Eastern Coyote will turn to alternative sources. In urban and suburban areas after ransacking garbage cans and such they begin to predate pets. By this time, accustomed to our odor, they may begin to attack humans, particularly when the humans act like prey by screaming and/or running away. These attacks are not common but nevertheless do occur and appear to represent a new development in the human/coyote [Coy/Wolf/Dog] relationship. Bears: Well we have them also, and in increasingly large numbers. Within the last decade they have became common enough to make annual raids on our bee hives and the horse feed next door, even though the sweet feed was stored next to the pen of a large dog. We now surround our hives with electric fencing (draped with bacon to direct the nose area of the bear to the 4,500 volt zap which would otherwise be unlikely to penetrate their thick hide.) Last year saw the first bear hunt in modern history here in Dutchess County; several were killed. Last week, three were seen just down the road from us. And two or three years ago an infant in its crib, in nearby Sullivan County was killed by a bear which mistook it for food. Bill </em> I’ve lived in coyote country. They LOVE to eat cats and chickens, as well as small dogs, but they really do leave large dogs alone. In areas where they become very, very used to humans–like a field across from a school that backs up to the mountains–they’ll get aggressive enough to go after medium-sized dogs and will even attack children, especially very small children.

I would be extraordinarily dubious of stories of coyotes attacking a middle schooler or adult, however, even very unshy coyotes.

I didn’t mind the coyotes. It was the bears (that would stroll into my backyard), the rattlesnakes, and the occasional young, reckless mountain lion scared me much more, especially for my preschooler! We got two very large dogs, who kept the bears and mountain lions out of the backyard and barked at rattlesnakes.

Hi Mimi,

Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experiences with Coyotes. I do not doubt your first hand experience; neither do I doubt the accuracy of the reports of Coyotes attacking and even killing adults. The difference, it seems, between these two experiences probably has to do with the way we have used the same term “Coyote” to refer to two different breeds of wild dogs.

I take it from your mention of Mountain Lions and Rattlesnakes that you are from the west. I have seen both Coyote and Wolves in the Idaho/Montana/Colorado area. The Coyotes I frequently saw out there all appeared to be of the ‘pure’ Canis latrans variety, and were much smaller and quite differently colored than the Wolves I saw. The ‘Coyotes’ here in the east appear to be a genetic mixture of the Western Coyote, with the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) and Domestic Dog (Canis lupus familiaris). These are much larger, appear in a wide range of color variation, and also have a different set of behavioral patterns than their Western cousins.

Coyote hunters in my area have sent me photos of some of those which they have killed and they are indeed large animals, up to 70 pounds or more. Many actually look like wolves, large rangy animals with aggressive demeanors. When I show photos of these to visitors, they almost universally say, “That’s not a Coyote; That’s a Wolf!” Yet analysis of the DNA shows that @ 80-85% of their genetic material is Coyote. (@ 10% Wolf, and 5% Domestic Dog.) According to the NY State Biologists who have studied the Genetics, Behavioral Patterns, and Ecology of this Eastern Race of Coyote this unique genetic combination provides them with a very successful set of advantages to both live near humans and to be able to successfully exploit the Eastern White-tailed Deer population.

Though not as large as your Western Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus), the ones here in the east (Odocoileus virginianus) are large formidable animals. The average size of a yearling I harvest weighs in the neighborhood of 125 pounds, gutted, and large males in rut which I have taken weigh in at @ 190 pounds, gutted. Alone I cannot drag one of these out of the woods or lift it into the back of a pick-up truck. A collision of even a middling sized animal will ‘total’ a mid-sized automobile.

Interestingly, the large pack of Coyotes which moved into our neighborhood to exploit the herd of White-tailed deer at a nearby airport have dissipated following the dramatic reduction in the size of the deer herd caused, in large part, by their predation. Both the deer herd and the Coyotes could be easily seen by aircraft approaching the landing strip, as could their behaviors and subsequent decline of both populations.

If I understand the biologists correctly, it is after this readily available source of food (Deer) is depleted that the Eastern Coyote will turn to alternative sources. In urban and suburban areas after ransacking garbage cans and such they begin to predate pets. By this time, accustomed to our odor, they may begin to attack humans, particularly when the humans act like prey by screaming and/or running away.

These attacks are not common but nevertheless do occur and appear to represent a new development in the human/coyote [Coy/Wolf/Dog] relationship.

Bears: Well we have them also, and in increasingly large numbers. Within the last decade they have became common enough to make annual raids on our bee hives and the horse feed next door, even though the sweet feed was stored next to the pen of a large dog. We now surround our hives with electric fencing (draped with bacon to direct the nose area of the bear to the 4,500 volt zap which would otherwise be unlikely to penetrate their thick hide.) Last year saw the first bear hunt in modern history here in Dutchess County; several were killed. Last week, three were seen just down the road from us. And two or three years ago an infant in its crib, in nearby Sullivan County was killed by a bear which mistook it for food.

Bill

]]> By: Bill Bakaitis http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3699 Bill Bakaitis Wed, 29 Sep 2010 02:23:49 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3699 Those of you who have read this far may wish to see the Sept. 27 article from the NY Times by Carol Kaesuk Yoon, Mysteries That Howl and Hunt at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/science/28coyotes.html?_r=2&src=dayp Those of you who have read this far may wish to see the Sept. 27 article from the NY Times by Carol Kaesuk Yoon, Mysteries That Howl and Hunt at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/science/28coyotes.html?_r=2&src=dayp

]]> By: Matt Anderson http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3460 Matt Anderson Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:27:24 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3460 Hey Bill...2nd attack this week in Rye! http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/30/year-old-girl-attacked-coyote-backyard-nd-attack-suburban-ny-city-days/?test=latestnews Hey Bill…2nd attack this week in Rye!

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/30/year-old-girl-attacked-coyote-backyard-nd-attack-suburban-ny-city-days/?test=latestnews

]]> By: Bill Bakaitis http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3455 Bill Bakaitis Tue, 29 Jun 2010 02:24:45 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3455 June 28, 2010: Coyotes attack a child in Rye NY: http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100628/UPDATES01/100628019/Coyotes-that-attacked-NY-girl--6--still-on-the-loose Matt Anderson sent us the link to this story, which seems to bear out the predictions of the Cornell Researchers who noted that coyotes attacking house pets is usually the precursor to their attack on children. (See the end of Part Three of the original post above.) Also,last week I was given pictures of a 58 pound all black coyote killed in Dutchess County a few months ago. It looked pretty much like a wolf. The hunter who shot it has been hunting coyote for over 20 years and says that the size of these animals is getting larger as time goes on. He has kept skins and skulls which he will be sharing with the Albany and Cornell teams. This is begining to have the feel of a bad dream. Somebody wake me up! June 28, 2010: Coyotes attack a child in Rye NY: http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100628/UPDATES01/100628019/Coyotes-that-attacked-NY-girl–6–still-on-the-loose

Matt Anderson sent us the link to this story, which seems to bear out the predictions of the Cornell Researchers who noted that coyotes attacking house pets is usually the precursor to their attack on children. (See the end of Part Three of the original post above.)

Also,last week I was given pictures of a 58 pound all black coyote killed in Dutchess County a few months ago. It looked pretty much like a wolf. The hunter who shot it has been hunting coyote for over 20 years and says that the size of these animals is getting larger as time goes on. He has kept skins and skulls which he will be sharing with the Albany and Cornell teams.

This is begining to have the feel of a bad dream. Somebody wake me up!

]]> By: Bill Bakaitis http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3179 Bill Bakaitis Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:51:36 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3179 And then there is this from the Republican American 9/7/08: "Claims of mountain lion sightings are so persistent in Connecticut and other East Coast states that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last year launched a formal review of the status of the mountain lion. Biologist Mark McCollough supervised the investigation from his office in Old Town, Maine. The report, which has just been completed in draft form, confirms what scientists have been saying for years. "We wanted to know if there is a population that has escaped detection," McCollough said. "The answer from the scientific data is no in 21 eastern states studied. There is no evidence of a breeding population, but there is some interesting data about populations spreading eastward from the Midwest as far as Chicago, Ill." A few sightings — fewer than 5 percent — are attributed to big cats released from captivity with enough instinct to thrive. At least 1,000 western and southern cousins of the eastern mountain lion are held in captivity or kept as pets on the East Coast, McCollough said. "Scat (feces) found in 1997 and a skull found in 2002 at the Quabbin Reservoir in Berkshire County, Mass. were traced to a mountain lion, but its teeth showed evidence of gnawing on a cage as if it had been captive at one point. It had been shot," McCollough said. Sightings reported throughout the region have lately been near the Massachusetts line. In the Massachusetts town of Monterey, just north of Canaan, Georgiana O'Connell reported seeing a big cat in the middle of the road a couple weeks ago, around the same time a logger, Bill Riiska, said he saw one cross the road in Otis, north of Winsted. "None of the sightings have been confirmed," Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman Lisa Capone said. In Simsbury, landscaper Bo Ottmann founded Cougars of the Valley, a loosely affiliated group with a dozen members which formed last year to document mountain lions and protect them. Ottmann has collected more than 100 sightings so far — 90 percent of them from Litchfield and Hartford counties. He claims all but a few are accurate. "The only mammal with a black-tipped long tail is the mountain lion," said Ottmann, who has never seen one himself. "I get a lot of reports from construction workers on job sites in the morning in the Litchfield area. A farmer in Simsbury said he watched a mountain lion chase off a bear." Ottmann is planning to post signs in Litchfield County offering a $50 reward for a confirmed photograph of a mountain lion in Connecticut. Ottmann said roadkill isn't a valid measurement. "Less than one-tenth of one percent of cougars are killed by motor vehicles in states like California where they are confirmed," Ottmann said. He claims DEP officials are covering up evidence they don't want to make public because it would involve the expense of a management plan." And then there is this from the Republican American 9/7/08:

“Claims of mountain lion sightings are so persistent in Connecticut and other East Coast states that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last year launched a formal review of the status of the mountain lion. Biologist Mark McCollough supervised the investigation from his office in Old Town, Maine. The report, which has just been completed in draft form, confirms what scientists have been saying for years.

“We wanted to know if there is a population that has escaped detection,” McCollough said. “The answer from the scientific data is no in 21 eastern states studied. There is no evidence of a breeding population, but there is some interesting data about populations spreading eastward from the Midwest as far as Chicago, Ill.”

A few sightings — fewer than 5 percent — are attributed to big cats released from captivity with enough instinct to thrive. At least 1,000 western and southern cousins of the eastern mountain lion are held in captivity or kept as pets on the East Coast, McCollough said.

“Scat (feces) found in 1997 and a skull found in 2002 at the Quabbin Reservoir in Berkshire County, Mass. were traced to a mountain lion, but its teeth showed evidence of gnawing on a cage as if it had been captive at one point. It had been shot,” McCollough said.

Sightings reported throughout the region have lately been near the Massachusetts line.

In the Massachusetts town of Monterey, just north of Canaan, Georgiana O’Connell reported seeing a big cat in the middle of the road a couple weeks ago, around the same time a logger, Bill Riiska, said he saw one cross the road in Otis, north of Winsted.

“None of the sightings have been confirmed,” Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman Lisa Capone said.

In Simsbury, landscaper Bo Ottmann founded Cougars of the Valley, a loosely affiliated group with a dozen members which formed last year to document mountain lions and protect them. Ottmann has collected more than 100 sightings so far — 90 percent of them from Litchfield and Hartford counties. He claims all but a few are accurate.

“The only mammal with a black-tipped long tail is the mountain lion,” said Ottmann, who has never seen one himself. “I get a lot of reports from construction workers on job sites in the morning in the Litchfield area. A farmer in Simsbury said he watched a mountain lion chase off a bear.”

Ottmann is planning to post signs in Litchfield County offering a $50 reward for a confirmed photograph of a mountain lion in Connecticut.

Ottmann said roadkill isn’t a valid measurement. “Less than one-tenth of one percent of cougars are killed by motor vehicles in states like California where they are confirmed,” Ottmann said.

He claims DEP officials are covering up evidence they don’t want to make public because it would involve the expense of a management plan.”

]]> By: Bill Bakaitis http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3178 Bill Bakaitis Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:42:26 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3178 Connecticut Mountain Lion sighting images are from Wyoming, not Sharon Ct. This morning I received an email from Paul Rego, Wildlife Biologist, Ct. DEP indicating that the images of a Mountain Lion reported from Sharon Ct. are actually from Wyoming. See http://www.cody-wyoming-network.com/2010/01/mountain-lion-roaming-close-to-casper-mountain-homes/ for the earlier post of these images. Connecticut Mountain Lion sighting images are from Wyoming, not Sharon Ct.

This morning I received an email from Paul Rego, Wildlife Biologist, Ct. DEP indicating that the images of a Mountain Lion reported from Sharon Ct. are actually from Wyoming. See http://www.cody-wyoming-network.com/2010/01/mountain-lion-roaming-close-to-casper-mountain-homes/ for the earlier post of these images.

]]> By: Bill Bakaitis http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3176 Bill Bakaitis Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:15:29 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3176 Over the weekend I received a private email of a set of images of a Mountain Lion peering through a large sliding glass door and lounging on the deck of a house purported to be in near-by Sharon Ct. Such an incredible image strains credibility, so I did a bit of internet looking and discovered that a similar set of images, proven to be a hoax, had recently circulated on the web. A number of other unsubstantiated 'sightings' have also been described. Since no one else had evidently done so I sent the images, and a number of links to the other 'sightings' off to Connecticut Wildlife Investigators. I'll report back with their conclusions. Do any of you know about these sightings? Over the weekend I received a private email of a set of images of a Mountain Lion peering through a large sliding glass door and lounging on the deck of a house purported to be in near-by Sharon Ct. Such an incredible image strains credibility, so I did a bit of internet looking and discovered that a similar set of images, proven to be a hoax, had recently circulated on the web. A number of other unsubstantiated ‘sightings’ have also been described. Since no one else had evidently done so I sent the images, and a number of links to the other ‘sightings’ off to Connecticut Wildlife Investigators.
I’ll report back with their conclusions. Do any of you know about these sightings?

]]> By: Bill Bakaitis http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3141 Bill Bakaitis Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:24:49 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3141 Although it is not a Coyote attack, and is not in the Northeast, I have received a few private emails linking to a story of a wolf attack in Alaska. The situation was similar to the Coyote Attack of last winter reported above in that a small pack attacked and killed a woman jogger. From the article: " "What the research shows is that in the last 10 or 20 years, as wolves have kind of re-colonized areas where they were extirpated around the turn of the 20th century, and as people have also developed more habits of going out into national parks and wilderness areas, we've had more aggressive encounters," said Mark McNay, a retired Alaskan wildlife biologist who has studied wolf attacks." For the complete report, see http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-wolf-attack13-2010mar13,0,4711796.story I understand that the growing aggression of Eastern Coyotes (Coywolves) was addressed at the Stone Ridge conference. If you attended and could send in a brief synopsis it would be welcomed. Although it is not a Coyote attack, and is not in the Northeast, I have received a few private emails linking to a story of a wolf attack in Alaska. The situation was similar to the Coyote Attack of last winter reported above in that a small pack attacked and killed a woman jogger.

From the article:
” “What the research shows is that in the last 10 or 20 years, as wolves have kind of re-colonized areas where they were extirpated around the turn of the 20th century, and as people have also developed more habits of going out into national parks and wilderness areas, we’ve had more aggressive encounters,” said Mark McNay, a retired Alaskan wildlife biologist who has studied wolf attacks.”

For the complete report, see
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-wolf-attack13-2010mar13,0,4711796.story

I understand that the growing aggression of Eastern Coyotes (Coywolves) was addressed at the Stone Ridge conference. If you attended and could send in a brief synopsis it would be welcomed.

]]> By: Bill Bakaitis http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3061 Bill Bakaitis Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:42:04 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3061 Hi again Matt, Since you posted the link to the Columbia University Coyotes, several others have sent me private emails with similar information from other news sources. This is more confirmation that these animals are becoming more and more adapted to living in an Urban/Suburban environment. We have alsojust received details of the conference on Eastern Coyotes to be held at Ulster Community College in Stone Ridge NY on March 4th. Details of this talk are at http://leslieland.com/2010/02/coyote-talk-at-catskill-institute-on-march-4th/ I will be out of town on that day and will miss the talk. I hope some of you will be able to attend and comment on the talk in this space. As Leslie said, Coyotes, who knew? Hi again Matt,

Since you posted the link to the Columbia University Coyotes, several others have sent me private emails with similar information from other news sources.
This is more confirmation that these animals are becoming more and more adapted to living in an Urban/Suburban environment.

We have alsojust received details of the conference on Eastern Coyotes to be held at Ulster Community College in Stone Ridge NY on March 4th. Details of this talk are at http://leslieland.com/2010/02/coyote-talk-at-catskill-institute-on-march-4th/

I will be out of town on that day and will miss the talk. I hope some of you will be able to attend and comment on the talk in this space.

As Leslie said, Coyotes, who knew?

]]> By: Matt Anderson http://leslieland.com/2010/01/coyotes-who-knew/comment-page-1/#comment-3018 Matt Anderson Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:01:47 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=5401#comment-3018 Article in the NY Post this morning about coyotes sightings at Columbia University and Central Park. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/coyotes_roaming_manhattan_yAm8a3Yl2ZdmClz3C28CPN Article in the NY Post this morning about coyotes sightings at Columbia University and Central Park.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/coyotes_roaming_manhattan_yAm8a3Yl2ZdmClz3C28CPN

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