Coyotes in Superior

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SUPERIOR -- The coyotes are out there, and the animals, which have long lived on the Front Range, aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

But don't freak out -- coyote conflict doesn't have to be inevitable. Proper response from humans can result in appropriate behavior from the animals.

That was the crux of the message at a community meeting on coyote/human interaction held Thursday at Superior Town Hall. The town and the nonprofit group Project Coyote have joined forces to begin a proactive campaign that teaches residents how to deal with living in coyote country.

Attendees were encouraged to sign up for "coyote crew," a group of volunteers who walk the trails in Superior informing their fellow residents face-to-face of the proper way to interact with the wild animals.

Ashley DeLaup, a wildlife ecologist and Project Coyote's Colorado representative, said it all begins with never feeding the animals and being careful not to let pet dogs interact with their wild cousins. Give coyotes reasons to be afraid of people and make sure they learn that your yard and driveway are not friendly stopping points on their daily journeys.

"The coyote has to realize that you're the thing that's scary," DeLaup said. "I use tools that escalate my level of scariness."


Those could include using a loud voice, banging pots and pans, or shaking a bottle or can filled with rocks or batteries at a coyote. Or blasting an air horn, which DeLaup demonstrated, sending the 15 or so people in attendance Thursday jumping out of their seats.

"This is something that will make the coyote say, 'You're freaky -- I'm out of here,'" she said of the various hazing techniques.

DeLaup said while it's getting more and more difficult for coyotes to avoid running into humans because of urban sprawl and land use decisions that have brought people into coyote habitats, people have to be diligent about making sure they aren't making things worse.

That means paying attention to what sort of food sources are within grabbing range of a coyote, DeLaup said. Even bird seed that collects under feeders can be a problem. One of the coyotes that was killed in Broomfield in the wake of three coyote attacks on children last year was found to have mostly bird seed in its stomach.

Six-foot fences may be necessary for some yards and there are rollers or blockades that can be attached to the top of fences that make it harder for coyotes to clear them, DeLaup said.

Having laid out all the precautions, she assured the group that coyote attacks on humans are still extremely rare, with only 20 bites or scratches in Colorado since 1997. That compares to 541 dog bites in Denver in 2010 alone.

Superior has had its coyote episodes over the years, with pets disappearing and people being followed on trails. But there haven't been any serious human/coyote conflicts in recent memory, said Superior Parks and Recreation Director Martin Toth.

Reports of coyote sightings are down this year from last, he said, and the town didn't have to throw ammonia-soaked tennis balls at coyote dens along Coal Creek this year to scare them away from residential areas. Nonetheless, Toth said it's good for Superior to be proactive in dealing with the animals.

Denise Tenge, a Superior resident who attended Thursday's meeting, said she appreciates that the town is getting ahead of the issue with a public awareness program.

"Before it becomes more of a problem, it's educating people ahead of time," she said.

Jamie Dixon, who also came out to listen to the presentation, said she may join a coyote crew and appreciates learning about how to coexist peacefully with an animal that has long existed on the Front Range and will continue to make its home in Superior.

"While I haven't seen the activity with coyotes as much this year, I don't believe for a moment that they aren't out there," she said.
