ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – “They are truly the epitome of an opportunistic predator,” wildlife expert Jim Parkhurst said about coyotes.
“They feed, and their behavior is dictated by spending the least energy to get the reward they’re seeking.”
And that reward could be your pet. While coyote attacks are uncommon, Parkhurst said most people believe coyotes are most aggressive during mating season, from January through March, which will lead to more attacks. However, that is not actually the case.
“It’s actually after the breeding period when they have young in the den; that’s when the pressure amps up a bit because they are constantly searching for food,” he said.
While coyotes are wild animals, some things people do make them more comfortable around other people, which could lead to an attack.
“If they are feeding pets, do they do so outdoors? And if so, are they heaping up that bowl so that a ‘Fido’ can have full access during the day? We strongly recommend against that.”
If an attack occurs, Parkhurst tells people to make plenty of noise, be aggressive, and throw objects at them to make the coyote uncomfortable and flee.
While coyotes usually make their dens in heavily forested areas, it is very common to see them in urban areas.
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