If it seems like coyotes in Ballard are less and less fearful of humans, it’s probably because they’re learning to be bold from their parents.
A University of Washington Tacoma study, published in Ecology and Evolution, has found that habituated coyote parents are passing their fearlessness on to their offspring.
Author of the study and assistant professor Christopher Schell conducted his research as part of his doctoral work at the University of Chicago. For the study, he focused on eight coyote families at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Predator Research Facility in Millville, Utah, which was set up in the 70s to reduce coyote attacks on livestock.
Schnell told UW News that while it’s rare that coyotes threaten or attack people, when it does happen it ends up being blown out of proportion. “We want to understand the mechanisms that contribute to habituation and fearlessness, to prevent these situations from occurring.”
The study sought to explain how rural coyotes are learning to be fearless when living in urban environments. What Schnell found is that the habituated behavior is likely taught to offspring.
According to UW News, the research team placed food near the entrance to the coyote’s enclosure, and had a researcher sit just outside the entrance everyday for five weeks while pups were one- to three-months old to document how soon coyotes would venture toward the food.
Schnell said the first season of the study, there were a few bold individuals, but for the most part, the pups were more wary. However, the second season, things had changed: “But when we came back and did the same experiment with the second litter, the adults would immediately eat the food — they wouldn’t even wait for us to leave the pen in some instances,” Schnell told UW News.
“Parents became way more fearless, and in the second litter, so, too, were the puppies.”
King County wildlife biologist Chris Anderson told My Ballard it’s up to us to prevent habituation: “Exclude, exclude, exclude — even haze them. When you see them, encourage them to keep going. Throw something at them. If you have a noise-maker, use it. Studies show that that effort and education is the ultimate answer to manage them.”
To read about the UW study in full, visit UW News.
File photo by John Gilbert
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Yep. Coyotes are the problem in Ballard. Ok. Sure.
https://komonews.com/news/local/homeless-man-whacks-bystanders-with-packing-crate-in-ballard-witnesses-say
Who said “Coyotes are the problem in Ballard”?
When one eats your dog or cat it is then a problem. And imagine this, kids actually learning something from their parents! Oh boy.
There is one problem that is hundreds of times bigger than dogs or cats being eaten.
Thank you all for pointing out the obvious. I guess the local media outlets shouldn’t report on any other other public safety concerns besides the opioid/homeless crisis?
Not until that one is fixed
That’s a far too narrow view of a world for me. But hey, if that really suits you then my suggestion would be to avoid news sites in general because they are going to discuss things you don’t want to hear or read about.
What does one have to do with the other. Sure, let’s watch out for coyotes. But is that important than getting the trash-throwing drug addicts off 14th Avenue and every side street between Market St and 50th?
“What does one have to do with the other.”
That’s my point Einstein, why bring up something that is irrelevant to this story?
Urban coyotes are becoming increasingly aggressive and dangerous and the offspring learn from their dams. There are daily national news reports of dog and cat kills and humans being attacked. An elderly woman in NC was attacked and killed this month by a pack of coyotes. Coexistence does not work and these carnivores must be removed. The USDA will send in federal trappers to remove coyotes and keep them removed. We should not be prisoners on our own homes and spending thousands on fencing which does not work, meanwhile, the local wildlife and town officials sit on their hands doing nothing while out pets are killed. They MUST do their jobs and protect public safety!
ceeaware – PLEASE post some links to coyotes attacking humans! And “daily national news reports of dog and cat kills”, where? Post that info so we can see that what you are saying is not “fake news” please.
And BTW a female coyote is called a bitch, the male is a dog.
yo dip. the USDA regulates Kale, not coyotes. That would be DNR.
The ignorant should remain silent, not vote and don’t have children.
you dig it??
Keep your pets in at night. It is your responsibility to keep your pets safe.
You can’t protect them forever
Maybe you can’t, but responsible pet owners can.
I just saw this coyote in broad daylight.
About 30 minutes ago I saw a coyote in my backyard! I was shocked! Have photos! I live in East Ballard/West Woodland I was shocked! I think someone needs to feed them so they don’t kill our neighborhood pets until we can relocate them somewhere appropriate. (I know we shouldn’t feed them-but if they are here, and hungry they will kill cats, and other neighborhood pets. If only they would stick to eating the phlethora of non-native rats. There has got to be another solution than just hazing and ignoring them to keep them from becoming fearless of humans. Of course not everyone will see the UW study or even care about it. I think we need to relocate these coyotes! Not ignore them or haze them. WTF? Seriously? It is up to all of these humans to know what to do to prevent habituation? Yeah, I am sure everyone is on the same page since everyone is paying attention to these studies. (sarcasm or snark)
IMHO, it is our fault that coyotes are in urban neighborhoods in the first place. How are they supposed to know they belong in the wild if they were born in someones garage? We keep building and taking away their former habitat.
We should not kill these cool creatures, but instead either capture them safely with a humane live trap and relocate them to either a large sanctuary or to the mountains or place where they can hunt and survive happily in a natural environment.
If you live in the neighborhood, please keep your pets inside or under strict supervision until these coyotes are relocated. If anyone knows the best people for relocating these coyotes please let me know. I am going to research this later tonight when I have time.
Oh and BTW, I did not feel threatened by this coyote at all. I am worried for its safety and the safety of neighborhood pets. I have never, heard of coyotes actually attacking humans. I am guessing if they are cornered and threatened, sure, if I was a coyote I would attack someone cornering me.
We need to help these wild animals by relocating them to a safe good place far away from human neighborhoods. They should stay wild in my opinion. It is not safe for them to be around cars, and humans.
I don’t want anyone saying a dingo ate my baby. I am totally expecting to hear that next. :~)