Why Coyotes Are New York’s Most Misunderstood Creatures
When I was young, when I thought of coyotes, I would think of Wile E. Coyote so why is it that all of a sudden everyone is either mad at or scared of coyotes? They're not a new animal that we haven't seen around these parts before.
I grew up in Warren Center, Pennsylvania which is a fantastic place that's in the middle of nowhere. I can remember sitting out on the swing on my parent's porch at night and listening to the sound of coyotes. I never bothered me because it was a sound I was used to and a sound that felt like home.
Nowadays people are mad at coyotes, it's like they just discovered the animal eats chickens and stuff. If you lived in the country, you've known it for years. Why do you think we reinforce all of our animal structures?
It's not just people in New York that have a sudden issue with coyotes either. People all over the country are mad at them but it's the New York Department of Environmental Conservation that has been posting things on social media. They've been letting people know that they shouldn't be mad at coyotes and why they are a completely misunderstood animal.
Are coyotes nocturnal?
Did you know that even though we hear them a lot at night coyotes aren't completely nocturnal? If you see a coyote out during the day it's okay. They go out during the day but it isn't very common so if you see a coyote during the day you might want to be careful.
Do you know what else is cool about coyotes? Like lobsters, they mate for life. And did you know that coyotes don't migrate? The little coyote pups you hear at night will grow up to be the same adult coyotes you hear a couple of years from now. They stay close to their home for life.
If you are mad at coyotes because you think that they're the ones that are killing your deer, you would be wrong. The cartoon coyote may hunt down a road runner but real coyotes hardly ever kill a healthy deer.
If you want to find out more about coyotes and why they're misunderstood and why you should stop being mad at them, the DEC is holding a Facebook LIVE series with Region 8 Biologist Scott Smith. The next Facebook live will be on the DEC Facebook page on Thursday, March 3, 2022.