Coyote Concerns: Swampscott To Consider 'Feeding Wildlife' Ban

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — A town bylaw against feeding coyotes and other wildlife could be up for a vote at the next Swampscott town meeting following a spring season of increased sightings and two coyote bites in the Vinnin Square area.

Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald told the Select Board at its most recent meeting that he has asked the town council to put together language for an ordinance that would be brought to the Select Board for possible inclusion in the next town meeting warrant.

"That will help all of us take some more responsibility for managing the delicate ecosystem that we live in," he said of the proposal.

Salem considered a similar ordinance earlier this year, while they have been adopted in other cities and towns across the state to help deal with problems related to coyotes, as well as birds, raccoons and vermin.

At issue in Swampscott is the apparent voluntary feeding of coyotes either out of fascination, carelessness or a misplaced sense of compassion. Fitzgerald said feeding from restaurant workers in the Vinnin Square area led to the increased presence of one or more coyotes that viewed humans as a source of food production.

"These are wonderful animals that are part of our habitat," Fitzgerald said. "Unfortunately, we have people who are feeding them and they get habituated and they get friendly with human beings.

"There is not a safe way to handle that type of situation with wildlife. Unfortunately, what likely happens is that the coyotes (who exhibit that behavior) will have to be euthanized."

Select Board member MaryEllen Fletcher, who is the liaison to the Board of Health, said the town has been able to "identify culprits who literally leave out bowls of food" for the coyotes.

"It bothers me greatly that folks with all the best intentions are trying to take care of wildlife that really needs to take care of itself," Fitzgerald said.

In the meantime, Fletcher said the town is distributing flyers to restaurants both to deter their employees from feeding wildlife and also to put in takeout orders to share that information with customers who may be doing the same.

Fitzgerald said that while residents should contact the police if they see a coyote acting erratically during daytime hours — which could be an indication of rabies — that "generally the sight of a coyote is not a sign that is cause for alarm."

One debate point in a possible wildlife feeding ban — which would likely come with fines that increase with each offense — is whether it should include bird feeders. While some argue that the feeding of birds is akin to creating the same dependency that comes with feeding coyotes, seagulls, raccoons or squirrels, others argue small bird feeders are relatively harmless and provide a sense of comfort and companionship for older residents who cannot keep a traditional house pet.

(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.)