MARCO ISLAND — The Marco Island Police Department and City of Marco Island Environmentalist Nancy Richie, in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) have created the following summary of coyote related information to educate Island residents and visitors.
As development encroaches upon wildlife habitat, encounters between humans and wildlife – including coyotes – are bound to increase. Throughout, Florida, the presence of coyotes has become a common occurrence in natural areas as well as residential areas. In the past year, coyote sightings on Marco Island have increased from rare to regular, particularly in the Barfield Bay rim area from Key Marco, Sheffield Drive, and Inlet Drive to Caxambas Drive. There also have been reports in the neighborhood near the Island Golf Course.
With plenty of food and cover for dens on Marco Island, especially around the natural areas of Barfield Bay, it is not surprising coyote sightings have been increasing in numbers. They are attracted to food and water sources as well as cover. To prevent your property being an attractive habitat for coyotes, the following practices should be considered:
Any outside food, which includes pet food, bird feeders, rodents and dropped fruit, should be secured or controlled. Pets should be fed inside; bird feeders cleaned regularly and monitored throughout the year; rodents controlled and fruit- bearing trees maintained.
Do not leave small pets unattended or unleashed.
Any water sources should be monitored, including swimming pools with out lanais and pet water bowls outside.
Trash cans should be secured (inside a garage or lanai) and occasionally cleaned to rid of odors that may attract coyotes.
Shrubs should be maintained; all debris in yard disposed of properly, to prevent cover and “hollows” for dens.
If a coyote becomes aggressive: will not flee the area, growls and/or approaches you, call 911 for the Marco Island Police Department and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at (888) 404-3922 (FWCC). This is a 365-day, 24-hour hotline for wildlife response.
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Comments » 8
whydothat writes:
Great advice from these officials about coexisting with coyotes, the most intelligent and adaptable animal out there! Coyotes normally fear humans. If we don't leave open trash or petfood outside and never feed them, coyotes pose little risk to humans. In return, they help the ecosystem by eating rodents, rabbits and the smaller mammals like opossums and skunks that prey on song birds. Coyotes also clean up carrion.
We should all learn to haze coyotes, if they venture too close. Shout, clap your hands, blow a whistle, bang pots together, spray a garden hose or open an umbrella to teach a coyote where it should NOT be.
A great source of SCIENTIFIC info about coyotes is projectcoyote.org.
captnjimbo writes:
They will form packs and attack and eat your pets. They should be aggressively discouraged from moving into the neighborhood in my opinion.
OldMarcoMan writes:
Fastest way to get the Coyote to leave Marco......... Coyote Tax
RayPray writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Northerner writes:
Maybe Jane can have them relocated.
WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot writes:
Tastes like chicken!
Marconian writes:
Diet and hunting
Coyote feeding on elk carcass in winter in Lamar Valley
Coyotes are opportunistic, versatile carnivores with a 90% mammalian diet, depending on the season. They primarily eat small mammals, such as voles, prairie dogs, eastern cottontails, ground squirrels, and mice, though they will eat birds, snakes, lizards, deer, javelina, and livestock, as well as large insects and other large invertebrates. The coyote will also target any species of bird that nests on the ground. Though they will consume large amounts of carrion, they tend to prefer fresh meat. Fruits and vegetables are a significant part of the coyote's diet in the autumn and winter months. Part of the coyote's success as a species is its dietary adaptability. As such, coyotes have been known to eat human rubbish and domestic pets. They catch cats and dogs when they come too close to the pack. Urban populations of coyotes have been known to actively hunt cats, and to leap shorter fences to take small dogs. In particularly bold urban packs, coyotes have also been reported to shadow human joggers or larger dogs, and even to take small dogs while the dog is still on a leash. However, this behavior is often reported when normal urban prey, such as brown rats, black rats and rabbits, have become scarce. Yet, confirmed reports of coyotes killing a human have been documented.
RayPray writes:
"Shout, clap your hands, blow a whistle, bang pots together, spray a garden hose or open an umbrella...."
>>> Might this work at a City Council meeting against parasite politicians too?
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