Increased Coyote Sightings in Johnston Prompt City, School District to Hold Public Meeting

Over the past several weeks, the Johnston Police Department has received calls of coyote sightings near Summit Middle School.

On Oct. 26, the police department released an alert to residents about the increase in coyote sighting.

Now the city, along with the Johnston school district, will hold a community meeting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 15 at Summit Middle School to address the recent concerns.

While the sightings may seem unusual, the animals aren't that uncommon in the area, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said.

See a U.S. Humane Society Coyote Managment Fact Sheet to the right.

The Johnston Police Department has consulted with the Department of Natural Resources, which said coyotes do not typically present a threat to people, but they urge residents to avoid trying to approach or feed them.

Coyotes can harm small domesticated animals such as dogs or cats. Residents should exercise proper precautions to ensure their pets remain safe.

At the public information meeting, Jeff Swearingen with the Iowa DNR will discuss control methods and precautionary measures parents and the public can take.

The department provided a brief explanation of what to do if you encounter a coyote. It is based on advice from the US Humane Society and Iowa DNR:

“Coyotes that have become particularly bold and do not run away when encountering people have become habituated to humans. In these cases, a technique calling hazing is particularly effective. This involves scaring the coyote away by yelling and waving your arms, using noisemakers such as whistles and air horns, or throwing objects such as tennis balls at the coyote. These actions reinstill the natural fear of humans back into habituated coyotes, and these coyotes will stop visiting these areas.”

The public information meeting begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, at Summit Middle School.

The department provided several resources for additional information on urban coyote populations:

• Why Is There a Coyote in My Yard? Food Lures and Other Answers
• Learning to Live with Urban Coyotes
• Eastern Coyotes
• Living with Wildlife