Holy coyote: Twin Cities sightings suggest the canines are finding homes in wooded urban areas
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Elizabeth Johnson and her husband Cal had an unusual visitor at their Highland Park home during the Fourth of July holiday.
"Just had the day off, happened to be having a nice cup of coffee on the couch and looked out the window and we saw the famous coyote across the street," Johnson said. As she watched, the coyote came within 10 feet before moving off, "happy as a clam."
Like others in the Twin Cities who have spotted coyotes, she pulled out her phone and posted video to social media, on the Highland Coyote Fan Page with more than 700 members.
"We don't necessarily track coyote sightings, just anecdotally we have been getting quite a few calls," said Molly Lunaris, animal control supervisor in St. Paul.
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"We get calls from people saying they're dog walkers and saw them along the trail and they're concerned. We get people saying they're concerned because they were in backyards or getting too close to children's play areas," Lunaris explained. "And we actually also get people calling and asking to please leave them alone because they enjoy seeing them."
Like them or loathe them, Lunaris said coyotes are probably here to stay, as the city cleans up its water and improves parkland.
"I think it speaks well of our city that wild animals choose to live here. It speaks to the care we've put into our environment that it's a welcoming place for a multitude of species," Lunaris said.
Coyotes range widely across Minnesota, and there are regular sightings in Edina and other suburbs. They're booming in New York City and Los Angeles, as well, and since they're very adaptive and compatible with people, coyotes become a staple of social media, from Facebook to Twitter to the Nextdoor neighborhood app.
Caroline Hairfield, director of Minneapolis Animal Care and Control, said her office does not seem to be fielding more coyote calls, but she wouldn't be surprised if there are more around because of what she is seeing: a bunny boom.
"Their food source is doing really good right now, and one thing that I have learned over the years in my profession, is coyote will breed and have litters according to what their food source is," Hairfield said. "So if the food source is really good in the community, then they'll have more litters."
Other factors help coyote populations grow, such as more common urban wild turkey flocks. And the popularity of bird feeding leaves more seed on the ground for rodents.
Scott Noland, Forest Lake Area wildlife manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said midsummer is also prime coyote puppy time, which may explain the flurry of sightings.
"You know mom's teaching the young ones how to be a coyote and learn how to find shelter and food, so they're a little bit more visible. They just take a little bit more time to get enough food for themselves," Noland said.
He adds that there are no records of attacks on humans in Minnesota. Arm-waving and shouts or other loud noise — called "hazing" — are usually enough to send the coyotes on their way.