The high-towering sign by Horizon Hill Park is inconspicuous, especially when the day’s wind rattles the stake that plants it into the grass. The toddlers who visit this playground are usually having too much fun to even notice the sign, and almost none of them are tall enough to read it.
Unfortunately, “CAUTION: COYOTE HABITAT” is not a message to be ignored.
For months, Montgomery County residents have been hearing about local coyote attacks, causing some residents to become anxious about the community’s animal infestation. In October, news spread of a coyote who attacked two Rockville residents and their dogs, leading the Rockville Police Department to catch and kill the animal. Since then, dozens of reports about coyote encounters have been posted on the social media site Nextdoor.
With the Maryland coyote population growing and the species’ fear of human contact quickly eroding, it seems to many that a coyote-related fatality is possible. What can we do to prevent a human death at the hands of a coyote?
For many, culling is the logical answer. By killing as many coyotes as possible, we would be able to remove the species from the Montgomery County area and reduce the number of human encounters. However, coyote culling has been proven to be ineffective. Not only does a coyote’s nomadic lifestyle and agility make its extermination improbable, but even when aggressively controlled, coyotes have demonstrated the ability to reproduce at earlier ages and breed larger litters.
Because taking action to change coyote behavior is difficult and ineffective, the only way to protect humans against coyotes is to change human behavior. The City of Rockville has taken steps towards notifying people of their proximity to coyotes. But while these signs and pamphlets can show people the danger of coyote exposure, they rarely cause individuals to act differently when confronted with a coyote.
The only way to spread important information about coyote attacks is for the Montgomery County Police Department to issue public service announcements on local radio and television. By instructing people to maintain eye contact and haze coyotes, rather than intuitively run away, the department could save many lives. Unfortunately, like with most safety initiatives, public officials don’t feel the need to take action until after a tragedy has been committed. That has to change.
While these public service announcements are being produced, Montgomery County must take a census of its coyote population. Knowing how many coyotes live in our area will help us close appropriate playgrounds and public grounds so that children are no longer spending their afternoons near violent animals. There are numerous ways to enumerate coyote populations, from luring animals with scent-stations to tranquilizing and tagging them.
Most coyote attacks are not lethal, and most coyotes have no incentive to attack humans. But while the majority of these majestic animals do not seek harm, there are many with the motivation and power to severely harm humans. It is time for Montgomery County and the City of Rockville to take serious measures to understand coyotes and communicate safety strategies to humans.
Article by Shariar Vaez-Ghaemi from Montgomery Blair High School
Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons