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While individual coyotes are often seen traveling and hunting alone or in pairs, they are typically part of a larger pack. In cities and other urban environments, coyotes have been known to modify their day and night cycle to better avoid humans and traffic. Usually most active at dawn and dusk, coyotes can also be nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and hunt at night, according to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS).
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However, if a coyote is trying to avoid people, then humans should not deliberately aggravate it. During a coyote encounter, the project recommends that people try to scare the animal away. The project also advises people to not let their pets run loose and to keep their yards secured. The most effective way for humans to prevent coyote attacks is to avoid feeding them directly or indirectly, according to the Cook County Coyote Project in Illinois. These attacks were largely in urban and suburban environments. and Canada, according to research published in 2017 in the journal Human–Wildlife Interactions. There were 367 coyote attacks on humans between 19 in the U.S. Related: Why are there so many coyotes in cities? In a few cases, coyotes have learned to associate humans with food in urban environments, making them bolder around people. Do coyotes attack humans?Ĭoyotes generally avoid people, but occasionally they will attack. Humans kill coyotes too, for their fur and in attempts to control their populations. Golden eagles have been known to swoop down and take young coyotes. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Cougars, wolves, grizzly bears and black bears are known to kill coyotes, according to the U.S. Predatory coyotes can still become prey themselves. Related: Urban coyotes could set the stage for larger predators in cities. They have also been known to hunt livestock and human pets, such as dogs and cats. Opportunistic coyotes will take advantage of pet food, garbage and other food left out by humans, especially in urban environments. Coyotes can also work together to kill deer, according to the Atlanta Coyote Project. They hunt and eat small prey, such as rodents, rabbits and squirrels, as well as insects and fruit, depending on what is available to them. (Image credit: Jason Klassi via Getty Images)Ĭoyotes are not picky eaters. A coyote at night above Santa Monica Beach in California.