Coyotes have become an established part of Atlanta’s diverse ecosystem, with their presence now widely recognized throughout the metropolitan area. Understanding their habits and how to safely share space with them has become increasingly relevant for residents.
Coyote Presence Across Atlanta
Coyotes are found throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area, inhabiting both urban and suburban landscapes. They are present in all 159 counties across Georgia. Research from the University of Georgia indicates that these animals navigate even densely populated areas, often avoiding human interaction during the day by resting in wooded cover near interstates and other developed spaces.
Their prevalence in Atlanta is largely due to their ability to thrive in diverse habitats and their opportunistic feeding habits. Coyotes are omnivores; their diet includes small mammals like rodents, rabbits, and squirrels. They also consume fruits, berries, and insects, and can exploit human-associated food sources such as unsecured garbage, pet food left outdoors, and compost. By consuming rodents, coyotes contribute to the natural management of pest populations within the urban environment.
The eastward expansion of coyotes across North America led to their arrival in Georgia around the 1970s. This expansion was facilitated by the reduction of larger predators, such as red and gray wolves. As metropolitan Atlanta grew, creating fragmented landscapes with green spaces and residential areas, coyotes found suitable conditions to establish populations, becoming widespread by the late 1990s. While naturally more active at dawn and dusk, urban coyotes often become nocturnal to minimize contact with people.
Peaceful Coexistence with Coyotes
To minimize human-coyote conflicts, implement practical strategies. Remove potential food attractants by securing trash cans with tight-fitting lids, avoiding leaving pet food outdoors, and picking up fallen fruit. Cleaning and storing outdoor grills after use and managing bird feeders can also reduce coyote interest. Clearing dense brush and overgrown vegetation can remove potential hiding spots for coyotes and their prey, making properties less appealing.
Protecting domestic animals requires vigilance. Keeping pets on leashes, especially during dawn and dusk when coyotes are most active, prevents encounters. Small pets should always be supervised outdoors, even in fenced yards. To secure pet enclosures, fences should be at least six feet high and include an L-shaped mesh apron extending 12 to 18 inches underground to prevent coyotes from digging underneath.
When encountering a coyote that seems comfortable around humans, hazing techniques can reinforce their natural wariness. Make yourself appear large and loud by yelling, waving your arms, or using noisemakers like whistles or air horns. Throwing small objects like sticks or tennis balls toward the coyote, without aiming to hit them, can also be effective. Continue hazing until the coyote leaves the area completely and avoid running away, which might trigger a chase response.
Reporting unusual or aggressive coyote behavior is important for community safety and wildlife management. While most coyote sightings are harmless, if a coyote exhibits bold behavior, such as approaching people without fear, or attacks a leashed pet, this should be reported. The Atlanta Coyote Project website allows residents to report sightings. For aggressive animals, or if an animal has caused injury, contact 911 immediately. Otherwise, local animal control services, such as Fulton County Animal Services at 404-613-0358 or DeKalb County Animal Services at 404-294-2996, can assist.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources does not intervene unless there is a clear and immediate public safety threat. Trapping and relocating coyotes is not an effective or legal solution in Georgia, as it can create a vacancy that other coyotes quickly fill, and trapped animals are often euthanized.