In the news, TV and media in general, there have been a lot of stories about the dreaded coyote . I wanted to set the record straight about coyote.
First of all: Coyote do not randomly attack people. In fact quite the opposite is true. They are TERRIFIED of people. The only time most wild animals attack are for 3 reasons. 1: They are scared or they have been cornered. Also, they may be frightened out of their hiding place by a loud noise, or machines coming too close. 2: They are sick..which is very VERY rare! Only 2 skunk and 3 bats have been found to have rabies in all of Westchester county in 2010 and NO fox, or “other wildlife” have been found to have the illness.( according to the NY state dept. of health). And # 3 the main reason. The wildlife have babies near by. You may not see them ( because their parents are experts at hiding them) but you have come too close. They do not hunt little children for food, they will not stalk you.
Now it is true that we are seeing more and more woodland creatures, but there is a reason,. US! We , Humans, have taken away their home, their natural habitat, the woods. We have built fences and roads around our homes and neighborhoods; leaving all animals little recourse but to venture near us. We encourage the bunnies, deer, racoons,opossum, and other darling things, two fold. We have forced them out of their homes and taken away their food. AND what do you ask eats them?? Hawks and other birds of prey, fox and coyote. Al of which we trap, exterminate and hunt. ( yes, even though it is not legal to hunt them many people shoot them to discourage them or for fun.) All of the animals that you see when you visit wildlife centers like Greenburg Nature Center and Teatown are a direct result of wildlife being injured and unable to be returned to the wild.
All I ask is that we all use common sense. Do not have small pets, young children out of doors and unsupervised during prime hunting times. Dusk and dawn (dusk is anytime from 6-10 pm in the summer and 3-7 in the winter. Dawn is any time form 4-7 in the summer and 5-8 in the winter) and Please if you have concerns about ANY wildlife before you touch, move or freakout call a wildlife relabilitator. You local vet should have some on file or the D.E. Or go to : nycwildlife.org/rehab OR nyswrc.org. Both will give you a listing of wildlife rehabilitators near you . Please call us!!! That is why we do what we do, why we got our license in the first place. To help orphaned or injured wildlife!!
