Expect to see more coyotes in Portland this season

Don’t be surprised if you see coyotes roaming through Portland.

Data shows people are reporting coyote sightings compared to last year, especially those living in the Alameda Neighborhood of northeast Portland.

“If you get close they’ll be a bit skittish, but generally they don’t really care,” said Luke Plotez, an Alameda resident.

Many told KATU coyotes appear to have gotten less afraid of humans. Sometimes, they can be seen sitting in people’s front yards. It has become a real concern for residents.

Some reported hearing coyotes howl overnight, especially around four in the morning.

The presence of coyotes is nothing new to the Portland area. Research indicates that coyotes have been around for years.

"You might start seeing coyotes, tell your friends, learn about the project and all of that together ends up with a lot more reports,” said Zuriel van Belle of the Portland Coyote Urban Project.

It begs the question: “What attracts them to large urban areas?”

Consider areas like the Alameda Neighborhood a buffet for the coyotes.

“Coyotes eat mostly rodents, berries, nuts, that sort of thing, but they’re opportunistic, so they will eat pretty much anything,” van Belle added.

People should expect to see more coyotes during the Fall, according to Micah Meskel with the Bird Alliance of Oregon.

“We think that’s for a couple of reasons. One is young adolescent coyotes who were born this year, have been raised with their parents, and are starting to branch out a little more on their own in these urban landscapes. And they’re exploring new spaces,” Meskel said.

However, coyotes are hunters and people should be proactive about them.

A video recently went viral showing what appears to be a coyote chasing a young girl in Portland.

"We think that you can take steps to supervise and also educate them on how to best interact with wildlife, to observe, but not to approach. With coyotes especially, being able to make loud noises will help deter them from being in an area,” Meskel said.

https://katu.com/news/local/expect-to-see-more-coyotes-in-portland-experts-warn-alameda-portland-oregon-micah-meskel-bird-alliance-of-oregon-zuriel-van-belle-urban-project

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Author: KATU News
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News post in at: October 28, 2024, 3:03 am.

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