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We all like living in Buckhead--and so do some wildlife. Several species have become more common in this area. There have been reports from homeowners about seeing foxes, coyotes, opossum, geese, exotic birds, huge turtles, and even deer. Many of us welcome these animals, but a few people are frightened and have contributed to the killing of wildlife, especially coyotes.
That doesn't have to happen. According to Georgia wildlife officials, they don't know of any coyote attacks on humans in Georgia though some have been reported elsewhere. Coyotes have come to share our urban environment because we have an ample supply of food, especially rats, mice, moles, squirrels, birds and other prey. Coyotes hunt alone, and only for food. Coyotes are our biggest pals in holding down the population of these animals. And--surprise!--coyotes eat tons of insects. Farmers in the west, who typically have been suspicious of anything that is wild and has big teeth, now welcome coyotes because they munch up the grasshoppers that destroy crops. On the other hand, coyotes have caused some problems on livestock farms in parts of the nation. Coyotes are omnivores, and also consume grass, fruits, berries and other vegetation.
Homeowners should be aware that coyotes will eat cats and small dogs, if you leave your pet inadequately protected. As for human safety, there have been some attacks on humans, mainly in the West where we think the environment is different from ours. But, given the number of people and coyotes, these attacks appear to be rare. Mostly, it is the coyotes are who are victims -- of hysteria and lack of information.
The name "coyote" comes from an Aztec word loosely translated as "clever." When settlers throughout North America killed off most of the wolves, coyotes were freed of their main predator and quickly multiplied. (When wolves were recently re-introduced into Yellowstone Park, coyote populations declined.) Highly intelligent and adaptable, these canines mate for life and are devoted parents, raising litters of about three pups in dens under rocky ledges or in dense brush. The pups mature at nine months. Adults range in size from 20-50 lbs. Grown offspring sometimes stay with their parents for several years, helping to feed and care for new litters.
Coyotes are sometimes mistaken for small German shepherds, with similar knowledgeable-looking faces and keen, in
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