Police Warn Residents: Beware Of Coyotes

CEDAR PARK-LEANDER, TX -- With their mating season in full bloom, coyotes are being sighted throughout Leander with greater frequency.

As a result, Leander police have been prompted to urge residents to take precautions given the animals’ greater presence. Police sent out a message to residents via Facebook and other platforms to that effect.

“We have received numerous concerns about coyotes being seen in and around neighborhoods throughout the city,” police wrote in their message. “We urge everyone to be mindful of this and use caution, especially with small pets.”

A link to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website was provided, filled with helpful tips to avoid the creatures.

Many of the tips offered are of the common-sense variety, but worth repeating as a refresher. Among them:

• Never feed coyotes. Instead, keep pet food and indoors, garbage can securely stored and bungee-cord-wrapped trash cans.

• Keep compost piles securely stored. What’s more make sure composting is done correctly, without remnants of bones or animal fat that can lure coyotes.

• Pets should be kept on a short leash when walking and in kennels or a covered exercise yard with supervision.

• For those who enjoy feeding the birds, keep wild bird seed in feeders and well elevated. Also, clean up spilled feed as coyotes can be drawn to the seed itself or to rodents feeding on it.

• Make sure to pick up any fruit that falls from trees onto the ground that may appeal to coyotes.

• While it’s never advisable to feed feral cats, it’s less of a good idea during coyote mating season. Coyotes prey on cats, and also enjoy food left out for them by otherwise well-meaning people.

Almost as soon as the police posted the notice on Facebook, a spontaneous Q&A with police on coyote sightings began. To a person, every one had seen the animals roaming on several occasion--sometimes more than once a day.

A police representative noted in the comments thread that the most recent coyote sightings have been centered in the area surrounding U.S. Route 183 and the Crystal Falls subdivision noted for its vistas of natural landscape.

“I can sometimes hear them at night not too far north from our house in Oak Ridge Subdivision (Crystal Falls),” one poster wrote. “ I’ve been told that there are a lot of feral cats in the foods out that way.”

She worried about her neighbors who have a small farm north of her that contains goats and chickens.

One man conveyed the animals’ boldness in negotiating around humans in his Westview Meadows neighborhood on Tuesday night. He wrote of spotting a coyote walking near a young boy before scurrying across the street, passing by him nonchalantly.

“He appeared to be taller than my 80 lb lab,” the man wrote. “My guess is he’s looking for a easy meal. I’m an avid hunter, and was alarmed how brave and close he was to the houses and the fact that he ran by a child.”

One resident wondered if increasing development of the ever-urbanized town is leading to coyotes’ displacement from former habitats now transformed into residential subdivisions or commercial developments.

“Funny how this started happening once Bryson subdivision came in and developed a huge plot of land that acted as a home for lots of wildlife,” she mused. “I have seen more deer with nowhere left to go and coyotes, possum, raccoons etc. than ever.”

She questioned the city’s park plan that envisions green space in the Liberty Hill area.

“This is not a comprehensive plan to incorporate green space in our growing city,” she wrote. “There needs to be a new discussion on city growth that involves green spaces throughout the city.”

But not everybody was overly alarmed over the canine interlopers. One lady wondered if they dined on rats, a culinary choice she’d welcome.

“Our neighborhood has been invaded by rats,” she posted. “It’s horrific and disgusting. Dear God, I hope coyotes eat rats.”