Coyotes a concern in city

A group of Auburn residents is concerned about what they call a growing problem with coyotes in the area.Citizens in the area of South College Street--by the Jule Collins Smith Museum--say they've seen wild coyotes in their backyards, in their neighborhood and attacking their pets.

"I hear them in my backyard at night," said Susan Pilgreen. "Surely if we can alert people we can solve the problem in a humane way."

Coyotes are indigenous to the plains and mountains of the west, not the sultry Southeast. According to folklore, however, the wily creature, about the size of a large dog, was introduced to the state by fox hunters in the 1920s and 1930s. That, plus a natural extension of their range, has established the coyote as a permanent Alabama resident.

Coyotes are definitely becoming more of an issue in areas populated by humans, said Jim Armstrong, a professor at Auburn University and an Extension wildlife specialist.

"What has happened is we've expanded our areas into what was traditional coyote habitat, but in addition to that, the coyote has extended its habitat into areas that are traditionally human-populated," he said.

Armstrong said the pasture by Kimberly Drive in Auburn, near the museum, used to be a perfect environment for wild animals to live in a relatively undetected state. The presence of coyotes isn't surprising, he noted.

When Armstrong first started at the university, he said, all of his calls about coyotes were in agricultural areas. Now, the calls are coming from urban and suburban areas.

"They are just around Auburn," he said. "They don't come from a specific place."

Coyotes, however, pose little or no danger to humans, Armstrong said. The size of an adult could intimidate the animals, he added.

The problem is that as the coyote population increases, their food sources are limited. They grow bolder, venturing into neighborhoods and backyards.

Armstrong suggested that people remove any potential food sources, even dog or cat food on the deck, especially if the yard is not fenced in.

Pilgreen said she did not want to harm the coyotes, just to warn people and suggest non-harmful ways to deal with them, such as keeping small pets inside. She agreed with Armstrong about the need to feed pets indoors. She said such measures would prevent other people from putting out poison for the coyotes, which could, in turn, harm other wildlife.

Pilgreen is not the only resident in the area complaining about coyotes. Ben Kelly, who lives on South College, said coyotes chased his dog, Lucy, in his backyard.

"A couple of days before Christmas, Lucy went out back and a few minutes later she came roaring around the butterfly bushes," Kelly said. "Two coyotes were about 15 to 20 feet behind her. I thought it was someone's dog. Lucy was shaken up. She still watches the butterfly bush at night."

Kelly said he also heard what he thought were coyotes attacking an animal one night outside his bedroom window.

He called animal control and was told there was not a lot to do but get traps. Kelly said that if one has neighbors, traps are prohibited. And shooting coyotes inside the city limits would be a violation of Auburn city law.

"If there was some way to relocate them, I would love that, but I don't know if there is one," Kelly said. "Eventually they'll become rabid or attack a person or child."

Kelly calls himself a victim of circumstance because he said he has never left food out. His backyard is partially fenced and faces a field owned by the university. He used to see field mice, squirrels and feral cats there, but hasn't recently.

Ken Rogers, who lives on Woodfield Drive, said he's seen coyotes trolling his property as early as early afternoon. He hears them howling when trains pass or police sirens go off.

Rogers encountered a coyote while on a morning walk by the museum two weeks ago. He decided the best thing to do was to take his wife and dog and go back home.

Rogers' only concern is that there are small pets and children in the neighborhood, and he does not want to see them harmed. He said he just wants people to know about the potential problems.

"They're going to be here, and we're not going to get rid of them," Rogers said. "I'm not opposed to lethal control of coyotes in urban areas, but the real solution is not necessarily lethal. A better choice would be habitat modification--removing available food and shelter."