Coyotes in DC area - interesting article

From wtop.com - interesting. A friend of mine that lives in Vienna told me that he swore there were some near his house. I thought he made it up. What's scary is how they expect it to be worse than the deer around here (not sure when, but guessing not immediate future)!
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Coyote Problem Could One Day Eclipse Area's Deer Problem
Updated: Monday, Oct. 25, 2004 - 12:09 PM

Kristi King, WTOP Radio
Colleen Kelleher, wtopnews.com
WASHINGTON - Expect the coyote problem in the metro area to one day become a bigger problem than deer.

"People are seeing them more regularly," Fairfax County wildlife biologist Earl Hodnett tells WTOP. "Coyotes are going to be more of a threat to pets, and they could very well become a serious problem, as far as public safety goes."

Infrared cameras in Fairfax County have taken photos of coyotes. Recently, a car struck one near Fair Lakes Shopping Center. In Rock Creek Park, in separate instances, two dogs that were off-leash were reportedly attacked by animals the owners believed were coyotes.

"I think over time, and I can't predict what amount of time that might be, coyotes are probably going to move to the forefront of issues between humans and wildlife. As big an issue as deer-car collisions are in the region, I think over time coyotes will eclipse that," Hodnett says.

Hodnett says the coyote population is now transitioning from being nocturnal to the point where they may soon be seen during the daytime.

And, as coyotes become more established in the area, they are getting bigger. An adult coyote can weigh about 35 pounds.

His advice: don't let your house cats roam free.

"Coyotes traditionally have specialized on house cats. Those cats are really at risk now."

Hodnett says you should not put pet food outside and not feed wildlife. If you do, coyotes will associate humans with food and won't see you as a threat.

"The coyote is more intelligent and probably more adaptive than the red fox," he says.

Over the last 30 years, the metro area has seen the red fox population reach "almost total saturation."

"There are probably foxes going through every single yard in the metro area," Hodnett says.

"They have changed their behavior to better exploit our urban areas. They have learned to find additional food sources that come along with our development."

Hodnett says it's not at all uncommon to see red foxes during the daylight now. The red fox has displaced the smaller, native gray fox.

While red foxes are not likely to attack your pet, Hodnett says you do need to be aware of their behavior.

"Watch for foxes that show a total lack of fear of humans. That behavior could be the result of rabies."

(Copyright 2004 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

 

Coyote were brought back to this area several years ago to help curb the deer explosion.