Post Magazine: Meet the Neighbors

As coyotes settle into the Washington suburbs, they provoke awe,anxiety and a fundamental question: Do they have to adapt to us, or we tothem?

Mary Battiata, whose story about about coexisting with coyotes appeared in Sunday's Washington Post Magazinewas  online Monday, April 17, at 1 p.m. ET to field questions and comments.

Mary Battiata is a Magazine staff writer.

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Middleton, Wis: First it was crows, and now it's coyotes!You do a wonderful job explaining creatures that we so often misunderstand. The ultimate lesson is that co-existence is not only possible, but essential to enriching us all. Thanks, Mary.

Mary Battiata: Thank you Middleton!

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Davidsonville, Md: Thank you for the fascinating article. It was such a pleasure to read a Sunday Magazine lead article that focused on science and nature for a change. I live on a small farm with free-range chickens and cats who come and go through a cat door, and am dreading the arrival of coyotes.

Question - do coyotes have any fear of human scent? (I'm guessing not...) I have read recommendations of using human hair to repel other species that bother landscaping, but haven't tried it. I've also been told by hunters that human urine may scare away deer or other hunted species(sorry, gross!)

Mary Battiata: i don't know about the human scent question. you can give your animals some protection, i think, by making sure you feed them in a caged, or fenced, area.

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Hyattsville, Md: I haven't finished your story yet, so you may have addressed this in the magazine, but do coyotes pose a rabies risk? If a human or a pet is nipped by a coyote, should they get a rabies shot?

Mary Battiata: so far, coyotes have not been found to carry rabies, except in a small area of southernmost Texas.

Distemper symptoms mimic those of rabies, and coyotes are vulnerable to distemper.

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Oklahoma City, Okla: Coyotes are, and always have been, common here in Oklahoma. I've lived most of my life in the suburbs near open country, and people are simply used to possums, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits and the occasional deer and/or coyote bouncing around the back yard. In my 50-some years, I've never known or heard of anyone having a dangerous or even midly threatening encounter with a coyote. If the folks in the DC suburbs are worried about their kids, they might better watch for pit bulls.

Mary Battiata: Good to hear from someone out West abuot that.

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Ashburn, Va: How can we tell coyote tracks from dog tracks? We see what we thought were dog tracks along the W&OD trail in our neighborhood all the time, but now wonder if some of them may be from coyotes.

Mary Battiata: the tracks are similar looking. coyote scat however usually looks quite different from dog droppings. It's narrower, grayer, and often has mice or other animal fur visible in it.

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Alexandria, Va: There was a coyote about 30 feet away from me in Ivy Hill Cemetery off King Street (rt. 7) in Alexandria, VA, on Sunday, April 9 at 2 p.m. As I was driving away from my husband's grave, having left palm branches there, I sat and watched a coyote for about 10 minutes. It (he/she?) turned back and looked at me every few minutes, then continued roaming. Imagine my surprise yesterday to find your story in the Washington Post magazine.

Mary Battiata: that's close in. Interesting. Haven't seen them in Arlington yet. ...

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Boston, Mass: We in MA have had the same issue with coyotes, deer, bears(a couple of years ago there was one inside a baseball park in Worcester), and fisher cats (which are extremely agressive and prey on cats and small dogs). Actually, it's we humans who have moved into their habitat and left them so few open spaces that they inevitably evolve into urban - or at least suburban -- creatures. I suppose it's off point, but it seems that one of the few ways to avoid the clash with wild animals is through smart growth -- less suburban sprawl and improvements to cities in order to draw people back to the cities.

Mary Battiata: Coyotes expanded into territory left vacant by human eradication of wolves. They began expanding their range more than a hundred years ago ... before serious suburbanization began.

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Columbia, Md: Growing up in rural Arizona, coyotes (or at least their howling at night) were a daily occurance. I'm kind of curious as to why people freak out about them, as they are pretty good at staying out of everyone's way. Granted, I know they are a predator but of the three or four times we lost livestock, every time it was due to a neighbor's dog and not a coyote. Also, other than ravens I believe that coyotes are the only wild animal who have adapted to people well enough that their territory has actually expanded rather than declined with development. These guys are a pretty routine occurrance in large cities out west (I saw one in my hotel parking lot the last time I was out in San Burnidino)...why is there a big to do about them being out here? Yes, if you have small kids or pets coyotes are theoretically a threat, but I'm sure you have a better chance getting hurt in a car wreck than being hurt by a coyote, and no one is freaking out about driving. I'm really hoping the education angle works out because it seems to be the only moderate solution. My $.02.

Mary Battiata: Thanks for writing. I think there's a steep learning curve for everyone (including reporters) once coyotes show up. We're just starting in D.C., I guess.

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Arlington, Va: They are in Arlington. I saw my first one as it was crossing N. Ohio Street.

Mary Battiata: this means that foxes and coyotes, which don't like to share territory in rural areas, are co-existing here.

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Springfield, Va: For years I was fighting a losing battle against the rats that were dining on my expensive birdseed. About a year ago I noticed they weren't around anymore, about the same timeframe I saw a red fox in my backyard. Any chance that a coyote might be around as well?

Mary Battiata: In rural areas, coyotes and foxes don't tolerate each other very well, but in the suburbs, where food is more plentiful, that may be different.

Birdseed doesn't attract coyotes, but it attracts the small animals, including mice and voles, that attract coyotes.

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Fairfax, Va.: I've not worried about coyotes, nor have I seen one yet. We have enough foxes, raccoons, possums, loose cats that one more species will hardly be noticed. But where do coyotes stand regarding incidence of rabies and how you tell if one is not acting right? Is that going to be a worry as it now is with raccons and foxes? I'm kind of paranoid about seeing those guys in daylight, because it usually means they re sick.

Mary Battiata: Except for one subspecies of coyote in southernmost Texas, coyotes are not thought to carry rabies.

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Annandale, Va: Are there any opportunities to hear Aubrey Bursch or Kristi Robinson speak? I want to learn a lot more! If no lectures are scheduled, would either of them speak if invited to a Nature Center? I'd be interested in their personal observations which may or may not be supported by hard science. For instance, one local naturalist contends that if there is a family of foxes in the neighborhood, it is unlikely that there is a resident coyote because foxes are prey for coyotes.

Mary Battiata: I can't speak for either of them, but I'll let them know someone was interested. Kristi is in Hawaii now doing research, so she might not be available any time soon.

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Easton, Md: Is there any evidence the coyotes will attack migratory birds-Canada geese, ducks and the very much demonized (not unlike the coyote) mute swan. And now that the Maryland DNR is flooding the state with turkeys--won't the coyotes devour them? Any evidence the coyote is now on the Eastern Shore of Maryland?

Mary Battiata: My understanding is that there are coyotes on the Eastern shore. Don't know about the turkeys. Maybe small ones. I also imagine that coyotes, like foxes, are partial to goose eggs

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Washington, D.C.: After reading your article I realized that walking my small dog off leash in Rock Creek Park may be unwise. What do you know about the population and patterns of coyotes in the park? Have there been reports of cats or dogs being taken in the park?

Mary Battiata:

As far as I know, no dogs taken. though one dog did get into some kind of wrangle with a coyote last year.

Coyotes have mostly been seen only in the remotest center of the park, outside the public areas. There's a spot back in there where the carcasses of deer that have been hit by cars are dumped. Park rangers have photographed coyotes with infra-red cameras around there. But only at night, and well away from public areas.

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Kerwood Ontario Canada: I've just been emailed your wonderful article and began to read it when I realized this live discussion was in progress. Although I haven't finished reading as yet, I wanted to commend you on your great job of presenting the facts. We run a non profit wildlife center in Ontario (Canada)and your article has given me some fantastic ideas for our coyote education program.

Mary Battiata: Good. Thanks for writing.

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Manassas, Va: Hi. This is Kristi Robinson (one of the wildlife biologists in Mary's article) weighing in on the reader's question about dog vs. coyote tracks: Theoretically, if you have a perfectly imprinted track, you can differentiate between a coyote and dog track. However, it is rare that you will find a perfectly imprinted track. Also, regarding differentiating coyote scat, in addition to what Mary said about finding rodent fur in coyote scat, you will very often see that is has loads of large seeds (from berries, pawpaw, etc.) and/or insects. Going into Summer and Fall, this is especially true.

Mary Battiata: Here is Kristi Robinson with a good answer to the question about coyote scat:

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Washington, DC: I enjoyed your article, but maybe you could have made it clearer to pet owners what the risks are. I grew up in a suburb of Seattle where everyone pretty much let their cats and dogs roam free. When a coyote moved into the neighborhood, most of the cats and small dogs were gone before their owners realized they needed to keep them inside. We lost a nice little mongrel that looked like a toy poodle and we are pretty sure she became coyote chow.

Mary Battiata: That's a good point. But owls and foxes also take small dogs and cats.

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Fairfax, Va: To the questioner in Md, since the entire eastern half of the country was heavily forested before the arrival of Europeans, many wild species who gain advantage from open country have benefited from settlement such as red tailed hawks which are not well suited to heavily forested terrain. Clearing reduced the cooper's hawk in favor of redtails.

While I agree that Yotes pose no real threat to human, if you are worried you could try using bear repellant. It's essentially a large pepper spray dispenser and should be effective against any animal with a nose including the two legged kind. If you are approached simply discharge the spray in the direction of the coyote and it will probably avoid people for quite a long time.

As for new urbanism and high density, this will have no effect except to create additional pockets of vacant or semi-vacant land (i.e. habitat). You might as well just get used to having them around unless you are willing to reintroduce wolves. Wolves routinely kill coyotes out west and would likely do the same here if the packs were substantial. Also, some effort might be made to reintroduce the Red Wolf which was removed from this area 150 years ago. It would be a very effective competitor with Coyotes since it is slightly larger but has essentially the same dietary needs though will bring down deer on occassion. Right now their endangered, critical.

Mary Battiata: Right. But wolf packs require large swaths of land to survive, so reintroducing them in the heavily suburbanized eastern part of the United States is seen by wildlife biologists as a non-starter.

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Virginia: How did you take the picture of the coyote on the front page?

Mary Battiata: I love that picture. I'm sorry, I don't know where we got it...It was chosen by the photo editor.

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East New Market, Md: 1 I plan on doing a local cable tv program on coyotes. Live in Cambridge Md area. Would like to contact Michael Adcock. Can you help me?

2 I reside in Dorchester County. We have numerous "edge habitats. Have you any info re: coyote sightings here?

Mary Battiata: I think you could probably contact him through Maryland Dept of Natural Resources, which has an office in Annapolis, and keep a list of nuisance wildlife coordinators as they are called.

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Fort Washington, Md: During Easter dinner yesterday, my dog was barking consistently. When I went out on the deck, I called for my wife, kids and everyone else to take a look at this "wolf" eating trash out of he neighbor's yard. The animal was grayish/black, bushy tail with orange tinges and about 40 + pounds. We all agreed it was not a fox as we see foxes daily in he woods behind our house. I went and got a copy of the Post Magazine coyote article. We all agreed it was similar to several of the pictures. at that point a neighbor whom has never spoken to me knocked on my door and ask did I see the wolf. He stated he saw the animal eat a rabbit live. He also informed me he had called animal control as the animal was eating other live animals and he was afraid for a new puppy. The article mentioned Montgomery County. I just want to say the coyotes are also in Prince Georges county near Henson Creek Park and Roseroot Racetrack.

Mary Battiata: If your neighbor's trash is set up so a coyote can get at it, then that's the reason you've got coyotes in your neighborhood. IF your neighbor is afraid for his new puppy, he needs to convince his neighbors to clean up trash sites. That means putting trash out in cans with a bungee cord on top.

Coyotes are not as strong or insistent as bears. If you make minimal effort to keep trash sites clean, you will get rid of the coyote problem.

The other thing is to make sure no one in the neighborhood is feeding the coyotes. And lastly, when you see one staring at you, even from a distance, you have to make an effort to run it off, yelling and charging it. That trains coyotes -- a young one for example that may not know better -- to keep away.

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Alexandria, Va: Since rags soaked in coyote urine (bought at hardward store!!) are sometimes tied to bushes to discourage deer in yards, does this indicate that coyotes are a manace to the deer?

Mary Battiata: coyotes will hunt small fawns, but otherwise they are too small to bring down an adult deer.

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Arlington, Va: Regarding your comment about the steep learning curve for reporters-- I thought your article was excellent! And I originally hail from a rural area where we mock wildlife-fearin' suburbanites, if that gives me any authenticity. I did find the references to what are perhaps are our cultural/psychological attitudes toward animals (especially wolves, but coyotes, too) intriguing in your article...could you say anything more about the history of this fear? Does it seem to be more sociological or biological?

Mary Battiata: Stan Gehrt, the wildlife biologist quoted in the piece, talks about our atavistic fear of wolves, which goes back millennia and over time took on a magnitude far greater than the danger ever actually posed by wolves.

Everybody needs a bogey man.

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Manassas, VA: Kristi Robinson here (from Mary's article), responding to a few of the questions/comments.

Regarding the concern by a reader that if you see a coyote in the day, it is sick: As the coyote population grows, it is more likely that you will see them in the daytime, and that doesn't mean they are sick. My experience in California (where the coyote population is well established) is that they are certainly much more prevalent at night, but it is certainly not uncommon to see them during the day.

Regarding foxes and coyotes sharing habitate: My experience at Quantico is that they definitely do share habitat and home range. I think there may be a temporal partitioning (that is, separation in time) of when they are out and about, however. I didn't find overt evidence that coyotes preyed heavily on foxes at all, but I'll be exploring that in more depth sometime this year.

Regarding coyotes and turkeys: ONe of my main study areas at Quantico was heavily used by both coyotes and turkeys (in season). I didn't see overt evidence that coyotes preyed much at all on turkeys. I think turkeys are too big of a bird for coyotes(at least a single coyote) to handle easily, especially when there is an abundance of much more manageable (i.e. smaller) prey for them.

Mary Battiata: Kristi Robinson:

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Vienna, Va: Thanks for an entertaining and informative article.

We saw our first fox just his weekend, apparently they are quite common. I am under the impression that seeing themm in daytime does not indicate a sick animal, however. As for other rabies-bearing animal, Isn't it the case that racoons are currently of greatest concern for new rabies vectors?

I am also under the impression that, other than gray squirrels, armadillos (of all things) have most greatly expanded their habitats in response to the human presence in North America. True?

Cheers.

Mary Battiata: Suburban aquirrels tolerate far higher densities than they would in the countryside, where you might see one or two in the same space that supports three dozen or more squirrels in the suburbs.

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Bethesda, Md.: Are coyotes terroitorial and do they respect others' territory? What I am wondering is whether a home with a dog's scent would keep a coyote out of one's yard or not?

Mary Battiata: Elizabeth Marshall Thomas (The HIdden LIfe of Dogs) says her two dogs have worked out a territory sharing detente up in Petersborough NH. The dogs have the yard, the coyotes take the woods. Every once in a while one of her dogs will run off with the coyotes but comes back unharmed.

But she has large dogs.

She also said that she would not leave any size dog tied up outside in an area where coyotes are present.

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Gaithersburg, Md: Thank you for a fascinating article. I spotted a coyote in my back yard early one morning back in October when I was out with my dog. I thought it was a dog at first, but it was too wild looking and much bigger than a fox. My main concern was my golden retriever. He's really friendly and I thought he might chase it and end up getting hurt or killed, but I calmly called him into the house without him even noticing the coyote. At first my husband didn't believe me, but I showed him the articles about the Fallsgrove coyotes, which are not far from my house. I didn't call the humane society because I truly just want to co-exist with the coyote and didn't want him killed because he was in my back yard, but I did alert the neighbors. I heard that 2 coyotes recently pinned one neighbor's cat under their deck, which is why my cat doesn't go outside and I'm careful before I let my dog out. I have to admit, I'm a little worried but I do understand why they're in my backyard. As long as they don't harm anyone or get out of control, I'll exist peacefully.

I really appreciate the tips for scaring them away and will remember to make myself really big and yell next time I see my wild visitor.

I am shocked by the lack of concern by stores and restaurants near Fallsgrove who refuse to tightly cap their trash containers. It seems to me that they are a major source of the problem in that area. Someone needs to educate them in particular, and maybe your article will open up the dialog for that area.

Mary Battiata: I think the coyote experts will tell you that you shouldn't be tolerating coyotes in the backyard, at least not in daytime. When you see one, wherever it is, you have to send a clear message by charging and yelling and in general running it off. You will be doing the animal a big favor.

The coyote may well come back after dark, but at least it will be taking care to stay out of your way.

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Casper, Wyo: Coyotes can carry rabies, it is only chronic in the coyotes in south Texas. If they happen to get bit by a rabid skunk or bat for example, they can pass it on to a human or dog. When there is any question, the human or pet should go through the post exposure vaccinations as quick as possible. The virus is not one to take lightly.

There are several records of coyotes attacking children and biting adults in California. This is not something to fear, but to be aware of the results of breaking down the normal fear they have of humans. Basically, where coyotes (as well as bears and mountain lions) are hunted, the coyote population maintains a healthy fear of humans, and communities don't have the problems of aggressive animals.

(There was a mountain attack in Colorado yesterday)

Interesting article

Mary Battiata: Thanks for that information.

Cases of coyotes carrying rabies outside southern Texas are very rare.

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Manassas, VA: Kristi Robinson here. IN response to the Annadale, VA reader who what interested in coyote talks. I guess the best thing is to contact Mary outside of this live chat, and she can give you my contact info. I'm actually back in Virginia at the moment, although I go back to Hawaii at the end of April through early July.

Mary Battiata: ok

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Alexandria, Va: Yes (in Ivy Hill Cemetery in Alexandria)...very close in. The cemetery is wooded, with a stream/ravine...and the coyote was in that area, in the part of the cemetery farthest back in from King Street. I found it so amazing that I "googled" "coyote" when I got home, to be sure I was not mistaken, never having seen a coyote in the "flesh". There is no mistaking a coyote, I found!

Mary Battiata: although people do sometimes confuse them with foxes. The coyote has a boxier, taller profile, and the tail stays down when the coyote runs.

The fox is a low rectangle, and the tail flies out like a flag when it runs.

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Washington DC: Loved the story. I grew up in the Sierra Madre foothills outside LA, and coyotes raided our garbage cans all the time. We weren't raised to be afraid of them at all - they were a fact of life in the suburbs out west - we just never fed them or approached them, the same way you should behave with all wild animals. I'm not sad they're here, especially if they help control our rat population.

One question - you mentioned that the eradication of wolves may have led to the extension of the coyote's range. In areas where wolves have been successfully reintroduced, has the coyote population in those areas gone down or left? Or do they co-exist/interbreed?

Mary Battiata: Interesting question. I don't know the answer.

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Rockville, MD: Thank you so much, Ms. Battiata, for your wonderful article, "Among Us." Last fall, I learned about the plight of the coyotes being trapped and killed in Fallsgrove, a neighborhood development in Rockville, MD, and I was appalled. Not only did I write a letter to the editor of The Town Courier, which got published, but I also asked the Humane Society of the United States for any information they could give me on coyotes and humans co-existing.

I am thrilled that your article was well researched and well balanced, and provided positive educational tools for humans to learn to live with these majestic creatures.

I hope that the Washington Post and you get a ton of positive feedback from this article.

Deedee Dillingham

King Farm resident

Rockville, MD

Mary Battiata: Glad you liked the story. Thanks for writing in.

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Washington, D.C.: If coyotes regulate the size of their populations in

accordance with available food and space, what good does

trapping and killing them do? Won't they just

compensate by having bigger litters? Assuming we're not

talking about getting rid of a particularly dangerous

coyote, isn't killing just for people's edification?

Mary Battiata: Yes.

The trapping will eliminate a problem in the short term, but within a year or two, or sooner, the empty territory will fill up again with new animals.

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Former westerner in NoVa: I love coyotes.

Is there an organization here yet to educate and encourage the preservation of coyotes?

Mary Battiata: Not that I know of. Nothing like Co-Existing with Coyotes in VAncouver.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: Mary, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your wonderfully balanced piece on eastern coyotes. It was obvious that you spent considerable time chasing down leads, and separating fact from fiction. I've written several pieces on coyotes and work for a wildlife management agency, and yet learned a great deal from your article. Great sources. Well written. Thorough treatment. I'm so glad I caught your story while visiting my son. Maybe you can tackle Chronic Wasting Disease, or Bird Flu next. Best wishes.

Mary Battiata: THanks for writing. These pieces are fun because the people you get to talk to are so smart.

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Vancouver, Canada: Perhaps a few comments are in order as to how Vancouver is dealingwith its coyotes. About 20 years ago, coyotes first showed up in Van. to add to the already present wildlife, skunks, racoons, a few small deer in Stanley Park and black bears that every summer come down from the mts. north of town. At one point the "coyote researcher" hired by the city said there were 312 coyotes within Van city limits. Most lived in the parks and hunted by night. Railway tracks provide an excelent means of commuting for the critters. I live near a spur line and in the summer especially I see lots of coyotes heading into and out of downtown for whatever coyotes spend the day doing. You can always tell coyotes from dogs as their tails are always straight up and waving like a proud flag. (If you encounter a coyote with a dropped tail watch out. He/she may be sick.) The city has posted coyote notices in all our parks and around each elementary school in the city. The notices remind us that coyotes are a part of the city and that in no cirucumstances should we fee them or leave garbage around for them to eat. On all city golf courses coyotes can often be seen sunning themselves on the greens and watching from the shelter of shade trees as the foursome duffers along. I would coyotes well. Every 10 years or so when the population gets too large they will be virtually wiped out by a disease. It doesn't take them long to rebuild. I enjoyed your article very much. With a sane attitude, I think your Washington communities can adapt. Jim Satterthwaite.

Mary Battiata: INteresting about those rain lines. Thanks for writing.

But my understanding is the coyote tail stays down.

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Maryland: Hi - what a very interesting article! I am curious as to whether there is a "map" showing where the coyote (and other wild animals) have been found. Do you know of anything like this? Thanks!

Mary Battiata: WE compiled that map from my various sources. But there are others that are similar online.

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Fairfax, Va: Kristi, I think you are right about the size of wild Turkeys. I moved here from Indiana where we encountered Turkeys frequently with our large dogs. The birds are fleet, very fast and alert, and they stand taller than coyotes which is usually a good deterrent as prey and would give them a visual advantage over a coyotes. Its just easier to go after voles, rats, mice, small dogs and cats.

Mary Battiata: Right.

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Alexandria, Va: There are so many good things about your article, but one that I especially appreciated is how you pointed out that in our culture of elimination that elimination is not always a solution at all.

Mary Battiata: Many wildlife experts made that point to me, and it belonged in the piece. Thanks for writing.

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Washington, D.C.: I enjoyed reading your article very much. I thought it gave a very well-rounded perspective on this issue.

My questions pertain to the section about scientific certainties about coyotes.

I was wondering if, for example in Virginia, coyotes are listed under local nuisance laws or if there is some statewide law against coyotes. Also, could you tell me where to find out more about those nuisance laws so that I can learn what other animals may be subject to them?

I found it sadly paradoxical that hunters are permitted to use the wildlife preserve at the base for deer hunting, but coyotes can be shot at will despite not harming the deer or typically being aggressive to larger animals (humans included). I think the nuisance laws should be changed and programs such as the one run by Mr. Boelens should be embraced. Coyotes are just one species. The problems of urban sprawl and scare resources will only continue to worsen as our population grows, inevitably putting more and more wildlife species at risk of becoming included in some of these nuisance laws as limited space becomes evermore in demand.

Mary Battiata: Maryland and Virginia and most other states consider coyotes to be nuisance animals, which means they can be hunted year round by people who have the proper hunting license.

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Rockville, Md: Mary, thank you for your article, "Among Us" which deals with the issue of coyote management in the subarbs of Washington, D.C. Trapping is definitely NOT the answer! As was accurately stated, once the coyotes have entered a suburban neighborhood, they are there to stay. If coyotes are removed from an area, the coyotes that remain in that area will breed more rapidly and other coyotoes will likely move into the available habitat. As Robert Boelens teaches, the most effective way to deal with coyotes in an area is to learn how to safely co-exist with them.

Mary Battiata: Thanks for writing.

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Burke, Va: Two coyotes have been sighted a number of times in our small neighborhood. We have a small undeveloped park behind our house and that's where they are seen coming and going. We have two senior female cats that like to sit on our deck and walk around our backyard. No known instance of the coyotes eating any of our neighbors pets. Are mine in danger?

Mary Battiata: Maybe.

Experts recommend that you don't feed the cats outside. Setting a food bowl out on the back deck at the same time of day every day is like putting out a sign for the coyotes. Teaches them that there will be a cat present at 6 p.m. every day, or whatever.

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Manassas, Va: Kristi Robinson here. Regarding the reader who thought at first he was seeing a "wolf" and who was estimating the animal at 40+ pounds. Possible, but not probable. I want to emphasize strongly that coyotes LOOK much larger than they really are. They are kind of long-legged, and generally very "fluffy." But it's all fur and legs, and not much heft. As a rule, coyotes in California are 20-25 pounds; they are 25-30 pounds int he Midwest; and in the Northeast they are 30-40 pounds. We can definitely assume that our coyotes in the Mid-Atlantic are going to be in the 30-40 pound range or smaller.

Mary Battiata: KR:

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Raleigh, NC: Comment: fantastic article! We have coyotes all over Raleigh. Now I know what to tell my nine-year-old to do if she sees one, and I know what to do if I'm out with my infant daughter and our dog. Thank you for alerting not just the DC area, but anyone outside the area who takes the time to read how we can make ourselves safer and live with these human-drawn animals.

Mary Battiata: Good. Glad it was helpful.

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Lake Ridge, Va: Great article! I was shocked to learn that there are coyotes in Rockville. In the past few days there has been a bear attack in Tennessee and a mountain lion attack in Colorado. Do you think these highly publicized yet statistically rare events will highten concern about coyotes in the suburbs. Thanks

Mary Battiata: Probably, but any threat to humans from coyotes remains extremly low.

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Easton, Md: If the increasing entry of coyotes into this area is so evident, the Virginia and Maryland DNR should be planning NOW for their control and not wait until its too late...when they will in their usual way say we have to kill off the nuisance animal. The end result being - these agencies will then claim the coyote is some kind of deadly demon, in an effort to get the public to accept the killing. How many animals - the black bear, the mute swan, the overabundance of Canada Geese and deer do we have to slaughter before we learn sensible, planned wildlife management?

Mary Battiata: Public education campaigns by local jurisdictions and NGOS is the route that other communities have gone, with good success.

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Washington, DC: In Yellowstone the coyote population is way down since wolves were reintroduced 10+ years ago. Not necessarily a bad thing, just that coyotes have more competition and are preyed upon by wolves, which is how it was for a long long time before we came along.But reintroducing wolves to suburban Virginia is not a possibility.I hope those neighbors in Fallsgrove will get educated. That part of your article reminded me of the panicky neighbors who were all up in arms because there was a bee-keeper in their midst a few years ago! We just need to learn about these animals.

Mary Battiata: Right.

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Baltimore, Md: So the owners of the "most expensive" homes in the area are incensed that they are seeing coyotes in their neighborhood. Do they really think that money will buy them everything? Do they ever think that their expensive homes are encroaching on wildlife habitat? The arrogance of the monied is amazing, if not ridiculous some of the time.

Mary Battiata:

Well, coyotes are new in Fallsgrove, and in the absence of good info, people were understandably concerned about the safety of their children. Coyotes won't attack an adult, but they have, on occasion, bitten children. It's rare, but it has happened.

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Herndon, Va: Ms. B: Coyote - tail up or down? Since the Native Americans always considered the coyote to be the "trickster," no doubt the coyotes are using their tails both ways to confuse us and give many wildlife biologists enough data for new studies.

Mary Battiata: Every coyote expert I talked to told me down.

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Hamilton, NY: Hi Mary,

Did you here aboutt he guy in the Boston suburb who got attacked bya coyote last fall? They never figured out why she attacked. Isn't the real problem the fact that they aren't scarred of us anymore? I would never shoot one, but it seems like we need to figure out a way to let them know where they aren't wanted.

Mary Battiata: I don't know the particulars of the Boston incident. But yes, the question of how to maintain the coyotes' healthy fear of humans once they are used to being around us in the suburbs, is a very real one. Stan Gehrt, in Chicago, talks about it in the piece.

Very least it will require vigilance. And discipline.

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Washington, DC: Noticed you said you haven't heard of coyotes in Arlington, but they are that close. I used to live in Pentagon City and had one cross in front of my car at 8 AM on Route 110 (near Pentagon). It was 2002. Awesome story yesterday.

Mary Battiata: Thanks. I still haven't seen one around here.

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Bio 101: It sounds like the coyotes are here to stay and education of us dumb humans is the best route. I grew up in western MD and still visit Deep Creek Lake. It is annoying how many summer visitors can't be bothered with bear proof trash cans - hence we train the bears. If urban areas have trash problems that feed rats/mice and other rodents of course the next animal up the food chain will move in. We're not alone here people!

Mary Battiata: Right. Setting food trash out in plastic bags is inviting coyotes (and rats) into the neighborhood.

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Vancouver, Can.: Just a couple of comments after reading

your readers' responses. No one in the

city should be walking small dogs without

having them on a leash. We have had

several incidents over the years of

coyotes running out of bush/park land

and dragging off a toy pooch. Likewise

anyone in a city who lets a cat outside is

brainless. Besides traffic, coyotes will

take on cats of all sizes. Likewise

toddlers with mom/dad/daycare in parks.

Don't let them out of your sight. If the bad

guys don't get 'em, the coyotes will. Jim

Satterthwaite.

Mary Battiata: I think the experts say that if you let a cat run outside, it is part of the ecosystem, and it runs at its own risk (or rather, yours.)

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Arlington, Va: Thanks for the fascinating and informative article on urbanized coyotes. I am always amused and appalled by the level of fear and ignorance in the general population regarding wildlife. Sadly, many people are so insulated from the natural world they don't know how to respond to the wild creatures they may encounter. It is hard to say which is more irrational -- the fear of wildlife or the belief that animals can be controlled. Seems like the least desirable option for the public is to -- GASP -- change their own behavior!! Frankly, I welcome the appearance of coyotes in my neighborhood to get rid of the rats stirred up by construction as well as the loose cats that prey on the songbirds coming to by backyard feeder.

Mary Battiata: Thanks for writing.

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Charlottesville, Va: As someone who has spent years living in urban California, where coyotes are common, I had to laugh at the timorous suburbanites in Virginia. If they don't like coyotes, they should try mountain lions. The big cats are expanding their range too, and soon they'll be living with the coyotes among the tacky McMansions of suburban Virginia. As for me, I love the idea that nature occasionally defies the best efforts of suburbia to wreck it. More power to coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, and other North American predators.

Mary Battiata: The big cats can and do adult humans.

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Arlington, Va: I was relieved to see your article because about 6 weeks ago I encountered a coyote in Lyon Village in Arlington. I was walking my (small) dog about 7:30 am on a Sunday and was at Key Blvd. and Barton St when we saw what appeared to be a large grey fox (because of the long pointed nose) across the street. As soon as he saw us he sat down and watched us. I decided it had to be a coyote or wolf because it was grey and had a long bushy tail and was much larger than a fox. We just stood still altho my dog was lunging toward it, and after about 5 minutes of watching us it loped down the street. When I saw it loping I knew it was a coyote. Glad to hear you are just supposed to make yourself big and scare them off--but what a shock to see a coyote in a nice, very expensive neighborhood in the heart of Arlington! Folks with outdoor cats beware! I hope you will do a follow up listing areas around here where folks report coyote sightings--I'm sure you'll be surprised how far they have spread already!

Mary Battiata: Coyotes are curious, and sometimes the animal that is sitting and staring may be a youngster (under one year) that has not been taught to be afraid of humans. Or it may be a coyote that does not recognize the strange little dog breed at the end of the leash, and is trying to figure out why the animal smells like a dog but does not resemble one.

But curious or no, you are doing the coyote a favor if you yell at it. A coyote that scatters and disappears is what you want. A coyote that stands its ground and growls is a problem.

If you run into a problem coyote that won't give ground, experts recommend that you back off very slowly.

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Mary Battiata: We're out of time. Thanks to everyone for reading, and writing in. Sorry there wasn't time to answer all the questions.

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