“Living with Nature” – The elusive and wily coyotes
Following the eradication of wolves and mountain lions from most of the Eastern United States by the mid-20th century, coyotes have moved in and have been able to thrive in the presence of humans.
These shy and secretive predators are fairly common throughout the Volunteer State, including here in Northeast Tennessee, and can be found in almost every type of geographical area, from rural spaces to urban centers of town.
“We do have coyotes here, though they’re not something you see very often,” said Bays Mountain Park Ranger Bob Culler. “They didn’t used to be found east of the Mississippi River until about 60 or 70 years ago. Today, they’re pretty common.”
According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, coyotes are dog-like in appearance with brown to brownish-gray fur, and somewhat resemble a small German Shephard. The average coyote weighs 40 to 50 pounds with some weighing upwards of 60 to 70 pounds.
Coyotes tend to prey on small animals, such as mice, rats, rabbits and chipmunks. Coyotes very rarely attempt to take down a deer and though they have a reputation of attacking cattle, sheep and goats, Culler said many of these incidents can be attributed to dogs running loose.
“Most of the time coyotes will stick to smaller game,” Culler said. “On occasion they’ll go through your garbage, but not nearly as bad as raccoons or black bears. Coyotes tend to be shy, so they don’t come around people’s houses as much as other wildlife.”
These adaptable animals can be found living in rural, suburban and urban settings, as long as there’s a food source. Even major cities across the US have large numbers of resident coyotes living in them, including Los Angeles, Chicago and even New York City.
Coyotes are solitary by nature, tend to be more active in the evening hours and you can encounter them year-round, since they do not hibernate like bears or groundhogs. If you’re out at the right time of the night, you can hear them howl. Remember, a coyote’s howl is a higher pitch than a wolf’s.
“Coyote’s aren’t much of an issue and most people don’t even know they’re around,” Culler said. “They’re not going to eat your children or blow your house down. Really, coyotes aren’t much of a nuisance for us, just elusive and rather wily.”
For more information about coyotes in Tennessee, visit the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency website at https://bit.ly/3v5PRKf.
Kingsport’s Communications Department is conducting a multi-part series this year on “Living with Nature,” which will highlight outdoor safety and tips on how to protect you and your family from some of the animals found in our region (bears, deer, skunks, raccoons and snakes).
The “Living with Nature” press releases can be found at www.kingsporttn.gov and on the Kingsport Alerts Facebook page.