Coyotes seen near Wake Forest's Joyner Park
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Town of Wake Forest said Monday that it has gotten multiple reports of coyotes in the area of Joyner Park on Harris Road.
Reports have been on the rise across the Triangle after a man walking his dog in Raleigh's Schenck Forest reported a group of coyotes acting aggressively earlier this month.
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While sightings usually increase in the summer, experts say coyotes usually pose no threat to people.
If anyone sees a coyote or other wild animal behaving strangely, call the Wake Forest Police Department at (919) 554-6150 or Wake County Animal Control at (919) 212-7387.
Wake Forest also passed on some tips from the N.C. Wildlife Commission about how to avoid conflicts with coyotes:
- Secure garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids and take them out on the morning of pick up, not the night before. Coyotes and other wildlife will scavenge trash.
- Don't feed or try to pet coyotes. Feeding a coyote rewards it for coming in close proximity to people. Once a coyote becomes habituated, it loses its natural wariness of people and may become bold and aggressive.
- Protect your pets by keeping them inside, leashed or inside a fenced area.
- Install coyote-proof fencing around your home to protect unsupervised pets.
- Feed pets indoors or remove food when your pet is finished eating outside. Coyotes and other wildlife are attracted to pet food left outdoors.
- Keep bird-feeder areas clean. Use bird feeders that keep seed off the ground. Coyotes are attracted to small animals congregating on the ground. If coyotes are frequently seen, remove all feeders.
- Close off crawl spaces under sheds and porches. Coyotes and other wildlife may use these spaces for resting and raising young.
- Cut back brushy edges in your yard, which provide cover for coyotes.
- Don't be intimidated by a coyote. Maintain its wariness by throwing a small object (such as a tennis ball) at it, making a loud noise or spraying it with a hose. Let it know it is unwelcome near your home.
- Clear fallen fruit from around fruit trees.
- Educate your neighbors. Your efforts to prevent coyote conflicts will be less effective if some neighbors are still providing food.
