Learning to live with coyotes
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/07/2021 (698 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
I live near Rossmere Golf Course and there is much talk in my neighborhood about coyote sightings. I see one (or more) weekly or even daily.
I recently saw Manitoba Conservation officer Sheldon Orvis going door-to-door to my neighbours in order to seek feedback and educate the community on the coyotes, so I flagged him down to chat.
“I wanted to reach out to every landowner on Rossmere Golf Course,” he said. The idea is to foster a relationship and understanding between humans and these creatures.
Many of my neighbours have expressed concerns for their children or pets.
Orvis said that “in 120 years of record-keeping in North America, there have been only two human fatalities, ever, from a coyote attack,” and that “there is far more risk of attack from domestic dogs.”
By comparison, there are approximately 19 fatal domestic dog attacks in North America each year.
“A coyote attack on a dog is very rare, and usually happens with an animal that is off-leash,” he said. If your animal is on-leash and under your control, you and your dog are not at risk from a nearby coyote.
If you encounter a coyote while walking your dog, Orvis said that it is important you understand that the coyote is staking his territory and assessing the situation.
“The coyote does not understand that your dog is fed store-bought food at home and sees him as competition to their food source, not as food.”
Pick up your small dog and/or carry on your way and the coyote will leave you alone when he realizes you are not a threat.
If you encounter a coyote, Orvis advises that you stay calm and assertive.
“They will pick up if you are scared and they understand non-verbal communication”.
Stand your ground and be dominant. They will back off. If you feel more at ease, carry a walking stick in case you need to fend off a coyote.
Orvis is proud of Winnipeg and its co-existence with coyotes. He says that we are poised to show North America how to live safely with coyotes in our communities.
The top thing Orvis wants to tell people is: “Do not feed the coyotes.”
He said human food causes an imbalance to the coyote’s body that will cause the coyotes to become aggressive to humans.
“Coyotes do a great job of keeping our communities green by eating vermin that cause us grief, such as mice, voles, rats and skunks,” Orvis said.
He has found several instances in our community of people feeding or making beds for coyotes, and kindly asks that people refrain from doing so.
He said his goal is to act as a referee between wildlife and humans.
He endeavors to “be the voice for wildlife that otherwise wouldn’t have one.”
He concluded by saying that “the coyotes have figured out how to live with humans, however the humans are worried about animals they don’t understand.”
Orvis hopes to hold community meetings to educate the public on coyotes, once COVID-19 restrictions allow.
If you see alarming or aggressive behaviour by a coyote, contact Manitoba Conservation at 204-945-5221.
Wendy Hrynkiw is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email her at wendyhrynkiw@shaw.ca
Wendy Hrynkiw
East Kildonan community correspondent
Wendy Hrynkiw is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email her at wendyhrynkiw@shaw.ca