A family unit of five coyotes searching for food among the rocks of Eastern Point, Gloucester, during storm surge in February 2015. (Courtesy Sherman Morss)
Lone coyote, possibly the alpha male of the family unit, moves across the rocks of Eastern Point last month. (Courtesy Sherman Morss)
Coyote on the prowl, near Argilla Road in Ipswich this past winter. (Photograph: Carl Jappe
Photograph: Carl Jappe
Caught on a night-time trail camera last July from back deck of house on Pine Street backing up to Powder House Reservation in Manchester. (Courtesy Malcolm Noriega)
Caught on a night-time trail camera last July from back deck of house on Pine Street backing up to Powder House Reservation in Manchester. (Courtesy Malcolm Noriega)
Photo courtesy Jeanette Lovitch
Photo courtesy Jeanette Lovitch
Photograph: Carl Jappe
A family unit of five coyotes searching for food among the rocks of Eastern Point, Gloucester, during storm surge in February 2015. (Courtesy Sherman Morss)
Many pet owners worry for the safety of their beloved animals when it comes to coyotes. But their fear is misplaced if proper safety precautions are taken. The real danger, writes Jim Behnke, lies in the coyote’s increasing habituation with humans and the misconceptions many have about these wild animals. Today, 500,000 coyotes are killed every year—that’s about one per minute—yet the bigger danger may be coyotes’ acclimatization to humans that is disrupting their natural way of life. Behnke checked in with experts and those impacted by coyotes across Cape Ann for his piece and learned the best way we can help these animals is to learn about them. They are, after all, a vital part of the environment in Cape Ann and surrounding areas.
