The Suburban Coyote: Is This Alabama's Latest Threat?

Coyotes are being spotted more frequently than ever in residential areas of Alabama. This strikes real fear in a lot of people. Is this fear justified? There are a lot of myths that circulate about coyotes. Let's separate the facts from fiction and see...

Photo byTraci Hall (wiki commons)

Coyotes Are Relatively New To Alabama
Coyotes are not native to Alabama. In fact, they've only been around in large numbers around 50 years. At one time, however, Alabama had a species of canine far more dangerous: wolves. The red wolf and gray wolf were two of the most feared predators in the state. When wolves were almost killed to extinction in the early 1900s,  coyotes began expanding into Alabama and surrounding states from the midwest. Around the same time, some hunters imported coyotes for sport hunting into St.Clair County. By the mid 1960s, the coyote population had spread all over Alabama.

Mountain Lions In Alabama? Here's What Officials Are Saying Off Record

Wolves Vs. Coyotes 
A lot of the dangers and behaviors of wolves have been incorrectly attributed to coyotes. Coyotes and wolves are in the same canine family - but are two separate species and behave very differently. When you realize that wolves were a viable threat in Alabama just a little over 100 years ago, it's easy to see how the mix up of facts evolved. As the wolf disappeared from the south and the coyote emerged, people assumed the coyote was just as dangerous. We also grow up with fearful stories and images of the "big bad wolf" that will "eat us up." Naturally, that image and fear often reemerges when we see a wild coyote which looks similar to a wolf....but have coyotes actually killed people?

Big bad wolf in children's literaturePhoto byPublic Domain (wiki commons)

Do Coyotes Kill People?
There are only two documented cases of fatal coyote attacks on humans in North America: one adult female was mauled by two coyotes in Canada in 2009 and one 3 year old child died from injuries sustained from a single coyote attack in California in 1981. There were 48 non-fatal attacks and bites from 1998 - 2003 but the majority of those were in California where the coyote habitat is disappearing rapidly. There were also several attacks grouped in the northeastern US, but those were found to be from a hybrid coyote localized in that region which is known as a "coywolf." Coywolves are a mixture of coyote, wolf and often domestic dog which can all interbreed. When coyotes mix with domestic dogs, there is a much higher chance that the animal will be aggressive toward humans. Dogs actually have a horrible track record compared to coyote attacks.

Dogs: Man's Best...Threat?
Domestic dogs are much more of a threat than coyotes.  Statistics show that ordinary dogs are responsible for 30 to 50 human deaths each year in the United States. In north Alabama alone, a pack of dogs attacked two women in separate incidents in Franklin County last year. Both women died from their injuries. In May of 2022, a Cullman woman was killed by her neighbor's two dogs when they escaped from their fenced in yard while she walked to her car. A Jefferson County man was mauled to death by a pack of dogs on March 1, 2023 as he went for his daily walk. 4.5 million people are attacked or bitten by dogs each year in the U.S. and over 6,000 of those require hospitalization. When dogs are together in a pack, that's when they are the most dangerous. A lot of people assume that coyotes pose the same threat.

The Lone Hunter: The Coyote
Coyotes do not hunt or run in packs like wolves or dogs. Although coyotes have been known to work loosely in a pair, and very rarely seen in a group, they're still not coordinated pack hunters. Wolves hunt in packs to aggressively take down large prey as a group. Coyotes hunt alone and ambush small prey that's easily killed - mostly rodents and rabbits. There's a ton of misinformation and fear spread online about coyotes roaming and attacking in packs. If you've seen what you thought was a pack of coyotes, it may have been a pack of feral or domestic dogs, a pack of hybrids or possibly the coyote family unit on the move and not hunting. An easy way to tell the difference is the tail. Dogs run with their tails up. Wolves hold their tail out. Coyotes run with their tail held down. Coyotes are also not very large. They're usually only 20 to 40 pounds and have pointed ears, a bushy tail and straight, thin front legs. Sometimes the fox is mistaken for a coyote, however the fox is only the size of a housecat.

Size chartPhoto byUS Fish and Wildlife (public domain)

The Family Unit
Although they are lone hunters, once they have a mate and produce a litter, coyotes have a tight knit family unit. Some refer to this family unit as a "pack" - but that's actually incorrect because coyotes do not accept other unrelated coyotes or dogs into their family unit to form a pack like domestic dogs will do. The male and female coyote parents are always the alpha pair. There is no fighting for dominance like a pack of wolves. Coyotes generally mate for life and are remarkably monogamous. The female takes care of the litter and the male hunts or scavages for food and brings it back. When male pups are around a year old, they are sent away from the family unit to go find a mate and form their own family. Females often stay with the family unit much longer until a suitable mate comes along. Again, sometimes this family unit is mistaken for a pack - but it's completely different from a pack of dogs or wolves that coordinate their attack to kill large prey. Sometimes at night coyotes will vocalize a kind of squeaky sounding howl and even answer each other. Although it may sound like a pack on the prowl, it's just the family unit communicating.

Meat: It's Not Always What's For Dinner
Coyotes don't always kill for their dinner. They're actually omnivores. In spring, summer, and early fall, coyotes that have access to wild berries or fallen fruit will consume more of that than anything. They'll also make a meal of large insects such as the grasshopper. In urban areas the bulk of their diet is food found in human trash, rodents, and stray cats. Coyotes eat whatever's available. Unfortunately, coyotes will take down small livestock, calves, and fawns but usually prefer the easier, smaller prey. We know about their diet because extensive studies have been done on their scat from different areas of the country. Coyotes adapt their diet to the season and availability of food. They're the ultimate survivors.

Coyote pounces on small preyPhoto byFranco Follini (wiki commons)

Don't Feed The Animals
Coyotes are rarely aggressive and will usually scamper off when a human is near. They are still wild predators, however, so you have to take precautions. Their biggest danger is to small pets which they may view as prey. The number one way to keep coyotes away is to make sure you're not giving them a free and easy food source and don't let them get comfortable in your neighborhood. Run them off the first time you see them! The Urban Coyote Research Project gives some great tips: 
▪︎ Keep garbage cans covered. Put up outdoor pet food before dark. Leaving out food or garbage is an invitation for coyotes.
▪︎Don't let small pets run loose or let small dogs out alone - especially if you don't have a fenced in yard. Bring your cats in at dusk.
If you're fortunate enough to have chickens, keep them secure at night! Coyotes will prey on small animals - it's just their nature. 
▪︎If you see a coyote in your neighborhood, let it know that you are a threat. Don't let it get comfortable around humans. When they lose their fear of us, that's when they can be dangerous. Clap your hands, wave your arms, throw sticks, etc. Normally it doesn't take much to scare them away. 
▪︎Bring bird feeders in at night. Yes, coyotes will eat almost anything. 
▪︎Keep your yard free of brush and refuse to reduce rodents and rabbit populations.
▪︎Clean your grill after each use so the smell of a yummy steak doesn't call in the coyotes. 
▪︎If you have fruit trees, keep the fallen fruit picked up. Remember, coyotes love fruit!  ▪︎NEVER leave a small child out alone in an area that is frequented by coyotes. Use common sense!
▪︎Lastly, coyotes cannot be tamed or turned into pets. Although they look like dogs, they're wild animals. Feeding them or inviting them near humans will not end well. The coyote will probably have to be killed when it gets too comfortable around people.

*Source information in links. Click on blue highlighted text.

Click "follow" to keep up with my latest articles! I write about my home state of Alabama and my hometown in Florence/the Shoals. To read my other published articles, click on my photo and scroll down. As always, thanks for reading! Don't forget to give a thumbs up and leave a note in the comments! For feedback or topics you'd like to see featured, email me at April.newsbreak@gmail.com