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Identify
Nuisance Wildlife
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Coyotes
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Description
& Habitat
The
coyote is a member of the dog
family, similar in appearance to a medium size shepherd.
They weigh between 20 and 30
pounds,
have pointed ears, a
narrow muzzle, and bushy tail.
Males tend
to be larger than
females. Their thick
coat is grayish in color, with
reddish tinges to the legs and
ears, and a lighter-colored
belly and nape. Coyotes have
yellow eyes which reflect as
greenish-gold at night. Coyotes occur in nearly all
types of habitat, including
some urban
and suburban areas. They are most abundant in
areas with
a mixture of
farmland, woodland, and
grassland.
Disease
Coyotes
are susceptible to many of the
same
ailments as domestic dogs.
Distemper
- is one of the more common and serious
diseases. Distemper is a
contagious, incurable, often fatal,
multisystemic
viral disease
that affects the respiratory,
gastrointestinal,
and central
nervous systems. It is possible for humans to
contract an asymptomatic (subclinical) CDV infection.
Anyone who’s
been immunized against measles
(a related virus)
is protected
against CDV as well.
Mange
- Another common coyote
disease, Mange is caused by a
small mite which
burrows into the skin, causing
an irritation. This
disease is extremely
contagious, affecting as much
as 70% of the coyote population.
Mange mites can infect
humans, but the symptoms are
usually mild, consisting
of a
rash near the infected area.
Heartworm
- infection is a
fairly common disease caused
by parasitic worms living in the
arteries of the lungs and
heart
of coyotes. In rare instances
humans have also contracted
this serious and potentially
fatal disease.
Rabies - is an acute, fatal
encephalomyelitis caused by
neurotropic viruses. It is almost always
transmitted by an animal bite
that innoculates the virus
into wounds. Any coyote bite or
scratch should receive prompt
local treatment by thorough
cleansing of the wound with
copious amounts of soap and
water; this local treatment
will significantly reduce the
risk of rabies. Anyone who may have been exposed to
rabies should be advised to
always contact local health
authorities immediately for
advice about postexposure
prophylaxis and should also
contact their personal
physician as soon as possible.
For
more information on these
diseases contact:
The
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention
at 1-800-311-3435
or e-mail them at
http://www.cdc.gov/netinfo.htm
Damage
Coyotes
can cause substantial damage.
In rural areas they oftentimes
kill sheep, calves, and
poultry. In some parts of the
state they cause damage to
drip irrigation systems by
biting holes in the pipe.
In
other areas they cause
considerable damage to
watermelons, citrus fruits, and avocados. Aircraft safety
is often jeopardized when
coyotes take
up residence on
or near runways. Coyotes have
also been known
to prey on
various endangered/ threatened
species. In
urban and
suburban areas,
coyotes commonly take domestic
house cats, small dogs,
poultry, and other domestic
animals. Coyotes have
been known to attack humans, attacks are becoming more and more
prevalent. In one case, a three year old girl was killed by a coyote
in southern California. Damage
Control
Most
problems caused by coyotes can
be solved by targeting and
removing the specific coyotes
that are responsible for the
problems. Many times only one
or a few coyotes need to be
dealt with. Livestock
depredation on many ranches against cattle and sheep.
ADC
Solutions
If you have been experiencing coyote damage,
the most effective approach is
to use a combination of
capture/removal and exclusion/preventative
measures. Fencing
and using guard animals are
a suitable form of prevention,
however if a coyote has
established
itself and is causing damage
or are threatening human
health
and safety, it may need
to be removed.
Generally speaking, coyotes
can and do cause many nuisance
problems in city and suburban areas.
However, if a coyote has lost
it's fear of humans and is
exhibiting threatening
behavior,
removing the problem coyote may be the
only recourse. The coyote's
economic importance and it's
role in nature should be
considered in any evaluation
of the animal.
Coyotes can be
captured using a variety of
restraining devices
or hunted
where legal and appropriate.
An ADC professional can help decide
what will work best for your particular
wildlife
damage situation.
ADC has been under contract with several
cities removing problem coyotes with great success.
For expert advice and solutions
to nuisance wildlife problems,
Call
Us Now!
Office:
303-884-9100
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