Increase in winter coyote sightings not cause for alarm

<p>It’s that time of year again, coyotes become more active during winter, and the bare vegetation this time of year increases the chance of catching a glimpse. Seeing more coyotes does not mean they are increasing in number.</p><p>Problems between coyotes and people are uncommon. Follow these tips for making your property is less attractive to coyotes:</p><p><ul><li>Clean up fallen fruit from trees or gardens;</li><li>Keep garbage secure;</li><li>Make sure pet food and treats are not left outside;</li><li>If you see a coyote around your yard, take down bird feeders; coyotes could be attracted to the rodents eating the seeds;</li><li>Never intentionally feed a coyote, which could result in it losing its fear of people.</li></ul></p><p>If you see a coyote and want it to go away, try to make it uncomfortable:</p><p><ul><li>Yell and wave your arms;</li><li>Spray it with a hose;</li><li>Throw tennis balls or small stones at it, but don’t throw anything that could be food;</li><li>Carry a jar of coins to shake or a small air horn to make noise.</li></ul></p><p>Making a coyote feel unwelcome around people can help maintain its natural fear of humans, but never corner or chase a coyote; you should always allow it to have a clear escape path to get away from you.</p>