A coyote spotted in Coral Springs {courtesy Tyler Sloboda}
Coral Springs is holding a meeting to educate residents about coexisting with coyotes, following a number of human encounters with the animals in recent years.
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 8, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the City Hall Everglades Room, 9500 West Sample Rd.
Led by experts from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the meeting will help residents understand coyote behavior and how to safely interact with the animals. Attendees will gain insights into coyote behavior, learn safety precautions, and be informed about effective “conflict resolution strategies,” the city said in a written announcement. FWC officials will also field questions and address residents’ concerns.
Coyotes are an integral part of Florida’s natural environment, but conflicts between humans and coyotes can arise when humans don’t understand the animals’ behavior, according to the FWC.
A number of human encounters with coyotes in Coral Springs and nearby cities have made headlines in recent years, including a sighting that led to the closure of Ralph Diaz Memorial Park in 2020.
Coyotes arrived in Florida as part of natural range expansion from western states and live in every state but Hawaii. The medium-sized canines are a close relative of the domestic dog. They are typically timid and elusive, but experts say encounters between people and coyotes in Florida occur more often.
Coyotes help maintain balanced ecosystems by controlling the populations of rodents and smaller predators such as foxes, opossums, and raccoons, according to the FWC.
Coyotes rarely pose a threat to people, especially adults, and generally run away when challenged. If a coyote approaches too closely, making loud noises and acting aggressively will typically cause it to flee. Using deterrents such as motion-activated sprinklers or audible alarms can also scare the canines away.
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