A rise in coyote sightings in this Metro Detroit neighborhood has police alerting residents

(CBS DETROIT) – A Metro Detroit area police department is alerting residents to an uptick in coyote sightings around the community recently.

Northville Township police said residents should contact a private animal control service if they need one, since the department doesn't have one.

They also shared some safety tips regarding coyotes from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Coyotes should be naturally afraid of people, and residents are advised to never feed them or try to tame them.

Residents should be aware that outside food sources, such as garbage and pet food, can attract coyotes, and so can bird feeders and gardens since those attract small animals, which will attract coyotes.

The DNR also advises residents to keep pets inside or accompany them while outside.

In addition, residents are advised to keep their distance from coyotes, but the DNR says clapping, yelling and making loud noises can scare them off.

READ: Michigan faces lawsuit over shorter coyote hunting season

Dearborn is another Detroit-area community that has seen a rise in coyotes recently. In April, the Dearborn mayor discussed the coyote issue at a city council meeting after the city began receiving increased calls regarding concerns about coyotes.

During that meeting, officials said there were two main ways to address the issues: educating residents on deterring coyotes from their yards and forcibly removing them; attendees let out an audible gasp following the latter suggestion.

Activists asked city leaders to keep in mind the impacts of removing coyotes.

"What we need to look at is some other non-lethal approaches, like cleaning our yards. Ultimately, if you eliminate a predator, another one will come in, or you will see overpopulation of that particular species," said Cory Keller of Friends for Animals Metro Detroit.

City leaders were working to determine the best plan to deal with the coyotes and said that no humans have been attacked by a coyote.

The week after the meeting was held, a sheep was found dead at Greenfield Village and was believed to be killed by a coyote.

There has also been some confusion over coyotes and wolves in Michigan and other states. While coyotes are common in different parts of Michigan, wolves are usually located in the Upper Peninsula.

In January. A hunter killed a gray wolf in southwest Michigan and harvested what he thought was a large coyote, but DNA testing confirmed that the animal was actually a gray wolf.