Chatting Coyotes As More Sightings, Reports Of Approaching People Cause Concern in Salem

SALEM, MA — With reports of coyote sightings on the rise, and Salem police advising residents in the last week that coyotes have been reported approaching people while walking their pet dogs, the city's Sustainability and Resiliency Department is hosting a discussion on coyote behavior and how to keep your pets safe from the wild canines.

North Shore Problem Control Agent Dan Proulx will help lead the talk with some facts about coyotes and keys to co-existing with them on May 11 at the Community Life Center on Bridge Street. The program will take place from 6 to 7:45 p.m.

Proulx has held similar public discussions in Marblehead and Swampscott in recent years with more coyotes appearing to be present and concerns about how feeding and interacting with them leads to them becoming more habituated and losing their natural fear of humans.

Salem police said late last week the increased sightings have been occurring throughout the North Shore, and in the Witch City centered around the South Salem/Pickman Park area.

"In some cases, it has been reported that coyotes appear comfortable around people," police said.

Residents are advised to take steps to limit coyote activity in residential neighborhoods, make them less apt to view people or homes as a potential food source and reinforce their instinctive fear of humans.

Remove sources of food and water, especially at night. This includes pet bowls, fallen fruit from trees, and water in bird baths. Secure garbage can lids or store them indoors, and ensure outdoor enclosures for rabbits, poultry and birds, are well-secured.

Residents are also urged not to leave dogs and cats unattended outside, especially at night.

Those who spot a coyote should not approach it and instead make loud noises or shout in an authoritative voice.

If confronted by a coyote, residents should pick up and hold children or accompanying pets, make loud noises and calmly back away while facing the coyote at all times.

More information on coyote encroachment into urban areas and how to best coexist with them can be found here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)