Advice on Coyotes
Guidance on Coyotes
from the City of Boston Urban Wilds Program
Boston and nearby communities are actively learning how to coexist with coyotes. As this develops, it is our job to educate each other on the following:
Coyote attacks on humans are extremely rare.
Coyotes are here to stay, and there are likely as many coyotes in Boston as there will be in the future. In other words, their population in Boston is not increasing indefinitely.
The main constraint on their population in Boston is the number of available territories, which is not changing significantly.
Perceived changes in local populations are due to coyotes shifting territories and other factors.
Coyotes are extremely adaptable and are able to thrive around humans in part because of garbage and food left outside.
Feeding wildlife in this way is the #1 driver of coyotes biting humans.
Coyotes play an important role in our City’s ecosystem, helping to control rats and rabbits. We have lost most of our predator species and coyotes have partly refilled some of their role.
The only cases in which it is legal to kill a coyote are when it attacks a human or is repeatedly and persistently aggressive.
Trapping is not effective partly due to trapping restrictions, and attempts at population control are also ineffective.
Relocating a problem coyote is not a good option, as trapping it is difficult and this would just move the problem to another community.
People who feel uncomfortable living around coyotes may carry cintronella animal repellant or pepper spray (be very, very careful with this stuff!) for self defense
As long as dogs are kept on a leash, outdoor pets are closely supervised at all times, and special attention is paid during breeding season around dens, coyote attacks on these leashed and directly supervised pets should remain a rare occurrence.
