https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/outdoors/2017/07/05/smith-coyote-project-offers-insight-into-lives-adaptable-species/450952001/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoTOTEyNzE1NTM0MTAwMDUyMzA3ODIaZjUwOWE2YjQ0ZTNkYzY4OTpjb206ZW46VVM&usg=AFQjCNFk08YoC2jOaK8eTeFWd7yXNBAtgg
The work is designed to gain
a
better understanding of
If garbage or pet food is left
out, coyotes also will take
The coyote, also a young male,
wears green-and-gold
Adult male coyote: 44–52"
(including 14" tail),
(including 14" tail),
25–42 lbs.
Illustration courtesy of the
Wisconsin Department
Illustration courtesy of the
Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources
The primary goal was for county
residents to record observations of
residents to record observations of
No. 4 and three other coyotes as part
of a public education and
of a public education and
citizen science effort.
The tags would allow study of
individual animals and estimates
individual animals and estimates
of their home ranges, for example.
Or, if one of the animals
Or, if one of the animals
showed a tendency for approaching
humans too closely or
humans too closely or
other concerning behavior,
authorities could take action to
authorities could take action to
remove the "problem coyote."
click on this link to see where
Coyotes have been spotted
Coyotes have been spotted
in the greater Milwaukee region
But no one knew the individualized
markings would highlight
markings would highlight
the coyote's ability for long-range
dispersal.
dispersal.
Sometime in 2016 or early 2017,
No. 4 moved south across
No. 4 moved south across
the Wisconsin-Illinois border.
And in February, the animal
was seen on the grounds of
was seen on the grounds of
O'Hare International Airport in
Chicago.
Chicago.
On March 1, U.S Department
of Agriculture authorities
of Agriculture authorities
reported they killed No. 4 on
the airport property. The
the airport property. The
coyote was shot as part of
routine, lethal control efforts
routine, lethal control efforts
at the airfield to prevent
aircraft collisions with wildlife.
aircraft collisions with wildlife.
As the crow flies, it's 82 miles
from West Allis to O'Hare.
from West Allis to O'Hare.
The coyote likely traveled
many times that distance in its
many times that distance in its
southward journey.
Coyote lounging adjacent
to O'Hare Airport,
Chicago, Illinois
Coyote lounging adjacent
to O'Hare Airport,
Chicago, Illinois
Young male animals, including
coyotes, are known to
coyotes, are known to
disperse to find new territories.
But the distance traveled by
No. 4 was notable, said Julia
No. 4 was notable, said Julia
Robson, assistant natural
areas coordinator for the
areas coordinator for the
Milwaukee County Parks
Department.
Department.
"We know they are capable
of moving many miles, but
of moving many miles, but
this wasn't something we
expected to find from one of
expected to find from one of
our suburban coyotes,"
Robson said. "It shows another
Robson said. "It shows another
aspect that has allowed
coyotes to successfully adapt
coyotes to successfully adapt
to our human dominated
environments."
environments."
No. 4 was live-trapped, tagged
and released along with
and released along with
three other coyotes as part of
a joint project of the
a joint project of the
parks department, the
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources and researchers with
the Urban Canid Projec
the Urban Canid Projec
t at the University of Wisconsin.
Coyotes in Wisconsin doing their
job to reduce rodent
and the exploding, non-migratory
Canadian Geese population
Coyotes in Wisconsin doing their
job to reduce rodent
and the exploding, non-migratory
Canadian Geese population
The work is designed to gain
a
better understanding of
the animals’ territories and
behaviors. It also includes a
behaviors. It also includes a
public education campaign
designed to reduce conflicts
designed to reduce conflicts
between the area’s human
population and the wild canids.
population and the wild canids.
Coyotes are native to North
America but originated in the
America but originated in the
southwest United States,
according to the DNR. The
according to the DNR. The
animals are habitat generalists
and inhabit a wide variety
and inhabit a wide variety
of land types ranging from wild
to agricultural to urban.
to agricultural to urban.
This adaptability has allowed
coyotes to successfully
coyotes to successfully
colonize cities and subdivisions.
Coyotes feed primarily on rodents
but also prey on
but also prey on
white-tailed deer, squirrels,
rabbits, Canada geese
rabbits, Canada geese
and free-roaming cats.
Milwaukee Coyote blending in
beautifully with grass cover
Milwaukee Coyote blending in
beautifully with grass cover
If garbage or pet food is left
out, coyotes also will take
advantage of these food
sources.
sources.
Coyotes are naturally skittish
and secretive. In urban or
and secretive. In urban or
suburban areas, the animals
tend to be more nocturnal.
tend to be more nocturnal.
Many human residents never
know coyotes are living nearby.
know coyotes are living nearby.
The species' adaptability, along
with the regional decline
with the regional decline
of larger predators, has
facilitated a dramatic range
facilitated a dramatic range
expansion of coyotes over
the last century.
Milwaukee Coyote with pups
Coyotes are
the last century.
Milwaukee Coyote with pups
Coyotes are
now found all across North
America and have established
America and have established
themselves in every major
city continent-wide.
city continent-wide.
The Milwaukee County coyote
project was initiated at
project was initiated at
least partly in response to
two incidents in 2015 in which
two incidents in 2015 in which
coyotes killed pets in
Wauwatosa and one case in
Wauwatosa and one case in
January 2016 in which a
Wauwatosa resident reported
Wauwatosa resident reported
being followed to within 30
feet by a coyote.
feet by a coyote.
The parks department
obtained temporary funding to
obtained temporary funding to
conduct the coyote trapping
and monitoring effort.
and monitoring effort.
It has yielded positive results,
Robson said.
Robson said.
"One of the tagged animals
showed up several times
showed up several times
near homes in Wauwatosa,"
Robson said. "But after
Robson said. "But after
pet food was removed from
the yards and the
the yards and the
residents started hazing
(waving arms and yelling),
(waving arms and yelling),
the coyote stopped coming
around."
Milwaukee Coyote-tawny colored
around."
Milwaukee Coyote-tawny colored
The coyote, also a young male,
wears green-and-gold
ear tags. It has since been
seen in Wauwatosa and
seen in Wauwatosa and
hasn't caused problems.
Coyotes dig dens and bear
pups in late winter and spring.
pups in late winter and spring.
From June to August, pups
begin accompanying adults on
begin accompanying adults on
foraging trips.
With human use of county
parks at an annual high in
parks at an annual high in
summer, Robson said it's
especially important fo warn
especially important fo warn
people to not feed wildlife.
"One of the keys to preventing
coyote problems is to
coyote problems is to
not habituate the animals to
humans," Robson said.
humans," Robson said.
"If they don't associate humans
with food, the odds
with food, the odds
of conflicts are much reduced."
Milwaukee Coyote in Winter
Milwaukee Coyote in Winter
It's important, too, for residents
to abide by leash
to abide by leash
ordinances when visiting public
lands with their pets.
lands with their pets.
Although no funding was
available to tag more
available to tag more
coyotes this year, Robson
encourages people to
encourages people to
record coyote observations
on the
on the
Milwaukee County Coyote Watch
page of
page of
iNaturalist.org.
Not all local coyotes will turn
out to be long-distance
out to be long-distance
ramblers like No. 4. But all the
observations will be helpful.
observations will be helpful.
They may even discover a
coyote that has moved to
coyote that has moved to
Milwaukee County from another
state.
state.
And from a larger perspective,
citizen awareness
citizen awareness
and knowledge will help people
live with fewer
live with fewer
conflicts with coyotes, a valuable
part of the ecosystem.
part of the ecosystem.
“Through a proactive process,
we can address problems
we can address problems
before they become a matter
of human or pet safety,”
of human or pet safety,”
Robson said. “We can coexist
with urban coyotes.
with urban coyotes.
Not all are problem animals.”
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