Northern Texas residents have been on edge since October 2018. Not because they live in one of the hottest territories in the United States; but because residents have seen coyotes and experienced at least seven attacks.

The reason for the increase in coyote sightings may be because of human error. Whether intentionally, or not, people are throwing their trash on the ground including chicken bones and pet food. And, while coyotes do not generally attack humans, they will do so if they feel threatened or cornered. 

"I have to emphasize something: For coyotes to attack a human is inordinately rare. It is very, very uncommon. So those are unhealthy coyotes that are doing this, and those kinds have to be removed from the population," says Sam Kieschnick, urban wildlife biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

While it sounds mean, we need to reinstate fear into coyotes to keep them away from humans. We need to throw rocks at them; make lots of noises; and stand tall and confident. To avoid coyotes on properties, homeowners will need to install a 6' high metal fence around the perimeter of the yard to keep children and pets secure away from coyotes. 

When we change coyotes' normal behavior, we control what happens in the future.