Police report several coyote sightings at Wissahickon Park

Lansdale Police are warning residents of several sightings of Eastern coyotes around Wissahickon Park near East Main Street, Knapp Road and Norway Drive.

Lansdale Police said eastern coyote numbers have been rising for years in the state, and now residents have recently reported seeing them around the park, which is also bordered by Wissahickon Park Apartments, Valleybrook Drive, and Knapp Elementary School.

Police said urban areas are a constant source of food, water, shelter and space year-round, which are very appealing to wildlife. They also have keen hearing, smell and alertness.

“Their migration into these areas can obviously cause conflicts with attacks on pets, and, on rare occasions, humans,” police said on Facebook. “Coyotes can become an issue when they are desensitized to human activity.”

    

Feeding them lowers their habituation – fear of people – and increases the risk when interacting with them.

Police said do not approach or feed the coyotes.

Other tips from police:

• Keep track of pets and children, do not leave them unattended.
• Stay calm & aware (not all interactions will end in an attack)
• Remove outdoor bowls and make sure to dispose of waste properly
• Use fencing or repellent

Canis latrans is found throughout the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Recent research shows this species was a result of interbreeding between coyotes and gray wolves.

Adult Eastern coyotes weigh between 45 and 55 pounds, and females are smaller in size. They can range in length from between four to five feet.

Eastern coyotes can have the following features:

• Gray to a German shepherd coloration
• Their legs are gray, tan and reddish, often with black markings or lines down the front of the front legs.
• The cheeks and behind the ears are reddish or chestnut colored.
• A coyote's ears are erect and its bottle-brush tail usually is held in a downward position.
• Normally, its eyes are yellow.

    

At this time of year, according to the commission, females begin breeding. Dens are made from overturned trees, piles of stumps and rock dens, usually facing south. By the end of October, 6-month-old coyotes begin to leave the family group.

Coyotes use a variety of yips, barks and howls to communicate, and are commonly referred to as American jackals or brush wolves. They can “pack,” hunt alone, or in the company of another coyote or two. They primarily are nocturnal, but often hunt duQring daylight hours, especially in the morning.