Saturday, June 6, 2015

From Bill DiPaolo: Coyotes more commonplace in Palm Beach County than you might think

And they eat feral cats too. Bill DiPaolo at The Palm Beach Post has this article about how common coyotes are in the county. Here's an excerpt:
     Most areas of the continental United States and Canada are dealing with coyotes these days – from Boston to Toronto to Chicago to San Diego. Coyotes are native to the Midwest, west of the Mississippi River. As their predators and natural enemies such as mountain lions, panthers and wolves declined, coyotes began to spread out, according to local animal officials.
     Coyotes are swimming in canals, walking in fields and climbing over fences into backyards of homes in gated communities, said Capt. David Walesky of Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.
     “We started seeing them in the sugar cane fields. Now we are seeing them in residential areas. Coyotes are established in Palm Beach County. They are here to stay,” [emphasis added] Walesky said.
     Growing to about 35 pounds, the agile animals sometimes target small and weak animals, such as small dogs, feral cats and ducks, Walesky said.