The coyote (Canis latrans) is a highly adaptable species that thrives in urban and suburban environments across North America. This proximity leads to increased sightings and concerns about human-wildlife conflict, particularly regarding the safety of young children. Understanding the coyote’s typical behavior and the specific circumstances that lead to aggression is the most effective way for parents to ensure safety.
Understanding the Rarity of Attacks
Attacks on humans by coyotes are extremely rare occurrences. The coyote’s natural inclination is to avoid people and they are typically timid when encountering humans. Most reported coyote conflicts involve domestic pets, such as smaller dogs or cats, which a coyote may view as prey or a competitor.
Documented attacks on humans across the United States and Canada are low. When attacks on people do occur, a disproportionate number of victims are children under the age of ten, specifically toddlers, who are at a greater risk of serious injury.
This heightened risk to young children is due to their small size, which a coyote may mistake for prey, or their lack of understanding of wildlife boundaries. Most incidents can be traced back to coyotes that have lost their inherent fear of humans.
Why Conflicts Occur
The primary factor contributing to coyote-human conflict is the loss of the animal’s natural wariness, known as habituation. Coyotes become habituated when they frequently encounter humans without negative consequences, leading to bolder behavior like approaching people or walking through yards during the day.
Food conditioning is a more dangerous condition, occurring when a coyote associates human areas with readily available food sources. This results from intentional feeding or unintentional feeding, such as unsecured garbage or outdoor pet food.
When coyotes become accustomed to human-provided food, they may test or demand food from people, which can be perceived as aggression. This boldness is pronounced during the breeding and pup-rearing season, generally spanning from March through August, when food demands are higher.
Essential Safety Measures for Parents
The most effective strategy is to eliminate attractants and actively reinforce the coyote’s natural fear of people, a technique known as hazing. Never leave small children or infants unattended outside, as constant adult supervision is the best defense against wildlife encounters. Young children should be taught never to approach or touch any wild animal.
Families must secure all potential outdoor food sources that could draw coyotes into the neighborhood. This includes:
- Securing garbage in tightly closed containers.
- Never leaving pet food or water bowls outside overnight.
- Routinely cleaning up pet waste, as it can serve as an attractant.
- Removing indirect food sources, such as fallen fruit or spilled seed beneath bird feeders, which attract prey rodents.
Proactive hazing is a long-term measure to keep coyotes wary. Parents should yell, wave their arms, or spray a hose anytime a coyote is seen on the property to prevent it from becoming comfortable. Motion-activated sprinklers or lighting can also be installed to provide automatic, negative reinforcement.
What to Do During a Direct Encounter
If a parent or child encounters a coyote that is not retreating, the immediate response is to engage in active hazing. If a child is present, the adult should immediately pick up the child and any small pets. This action makes the child less accessible and eliminates a potential prey-sized target.
The adult should make themselves appear as large as possible by waving their arms overhead and maintaining direct eye contact. Shout loudly and aggressively to startle the animal and reinforce that it is unwelcome. Effective actions include stomping feet, clapping hands, or using a noisemaker like a whistle.
Do not turn your back or run, as this can trigger a coyote’s predatory chase instinct. If the coyote does not leave, throw small objects, such as stones or sticks, toward the animal, aiming to scare it. Continue hazing while slowly backing away toward a safe location until the coyote retreats and is completely out of sight.