The coyote population does not survive on puppies and kittens - the greatest part of their diet is small rodents (pests.) Beyond that, they are opportunistic and uncovered food trash is the single resource that is most likely to lead to "abnormal" population surges. I have no problem with "control" measures, but for a lot of people the target is to eradicate the species from the island and I would not support that.

RIDEM - “Coyotes have been part of Rhode Island’s fauna for more than 30 years and are an important component of the ecosystem.”

How does an animal become such an "important" component of a small ecosystem, such as Aquidneck Island, in less than half a century? I mean if they weren’t here 50 years ago does that mean the island’s ecosystem was all out of whack somehow? I don’t think they need to be completely eradicated from the island. Controlled probably but not eradicated. Is someone at RIDEM trying to mislead us?

The Coyote was wiped out almost 200 years ago in most of the US and Canada by our forefathers for a number of reasons. They were a danger and a pest to the people who had to live with them. A small child was an inviting food source easily taken. Then the live stock and finally family pets were also prime food for them. They are a predator who will always take an easy meal if they find it. More and more people in Rhode Island will be finding them staring at them one day if they have a child or a small pet with them. Guess what? They are on the menu so the best thing is to once more get rid of them before someone get hurt by them now and not after the fact. There are a lot more of them around then some people want to admit to and the danger is just increasing with each little they raise. The time to act is now before it's too late.

The gentleman who posted about the "history" of coyotes speaks with no knowledge of the facts. There is NO reported account of a coyote attacking a person. Coyotes do NOT attack nor eat people. His language is intended to incite fear, the worst ingredient for making intelligent choices.

We human beings chose to live where other wildlife must live. It's not that difficult for us to coexist with other species. After all, they want the same things that we want: they want food, shelter, safety and a place to raise their young. We can easily accommodate their desires and not give up much of our own. Do NOT put cat or dog food outside; feed your animals indoors. Do NOT let your pets wander, stray, without your being present. That's good for them, and for you. Do not leave your garbage without secure lids. That's being a good neighbor, too.

If the people of Aquidneck Island allow their government representatives to "eradicate" coyotes, they will allow two things to happen. The first is they will fail to achieve the intended results. Coyotes will never be eradicated. Attempts to do so have failed. Coyotes, unbelievably, readjust their breeding habits to account for environmental conditions. There will likely always be coyotes. And, secondly, the people of this island will allow an inhumane, unintelligent and anti-nature event to take place.

The answer is to make some adjustments, learn to live with coyotes and Nature, and thank goodness you are privileged to do so.

I agree with Jay Miller...very well said.

DEM would best use whatever $ they have for making sure the many Rules & Regulations that are already in place, are upheld regarding "hunting season"...they have a very long list of do's and dont's, but fail miserably on seeing they are upheld, claiming they do not have enough staff.

If they have a hard time upholding and policing the many rules they have set out already, why add more responsibility by adding yet more Policy's while also needing more employee's for the job.

It's one thing making the Rules....another, enforcing them.

If it is so important to those that want eradication of Coyotes, they should get together as a group & pay for all that may be required themselves.

Zed and Jay, both right on. Fear and ignorance is what is driving people right now, rather than knowledge and intelligent choices, and trying to eradicate a species to suit us is never a good idea. Don't unintentionally feed coyotes so they retain their natural fear of humans. Don't leave your pets alone outside - there are plenty of other dangers out there besides coyotes anyway. Let's learn to coexist properly. Treat the coyote like it's a wild animal, like a skunk or a racoon - nothing you want to cuddle with, but nothing that needs to be slaughtered either. It has it's place.

A DINGO TOOK MY BABY!!!

The reason we have a coyote problem right now is because we killed off all the wolves. If we kill off all the coyotes what other predator will take there place.

Coyotes are not the problem. Coyotes are supposed to be social pack animals, hunters, and shy. If they were all these, you would probably never even know they were there. They'd just get busy with beneficial behaviors, like keeping down the population of deer. When a coyote is getting easy pickings from humans...uncovered trash, road-kill deer, or pet food, he or she doesn't need to obey the rules of a pack, begins to associate humans with food, and loses its shyness. The perfect storm is If your neighbor is feeding the local coyotes and then goes on vacation. Pretty soon you've got bold, hungry, scavengers hanging around your yard. Allowing coyotes to mooch food from you is not fair to your fellow community members. It is threat to public health and safety. It's also unsafe for local pets and for the coyotes themselves. Jay's exactly right...without saying it's never okay to hunt coyotes, it is usually useless to do so. Shooting, trapping, and poisoning are not risk-free to the neighborhood either, and that risk is hard to bear when we know that it will not resolve the problem.

When the expanding (non-native) human population drove coyotes out of this area, the ecosystem responded by allowing "rebounds" and "surges" in prey populations: foxes, skunks, racoons, possums, and, most of all, rats and mice. For a long time the only controlling predator we had were raptors and their habitat, too, was under pressure from us. Our wild animal populations are controlled by complex mechanisms, and simplistic solutions almost always have unintended consequences.

Too many of you don't know a darn thing about these coyotes. They are dangerous. AND Jay Miller your should really know what your talking about before making false statements. Just a year or two ago a seven year old boy was attacked and was being pulled into the woods by a coyote right here in Rhode Island when it was driven off. This has happened all around the country and it is increasing. The first thing to do is to get the idots who are feeding them to stop. They are not dogs.They are not cute. They are not pets, they are wild animals and the can hurt people.

Don't feed any wild animal for that matter. These species have lived just fine without handouts. Especially seagulls! :P Just remember, what goes in, must come out!

WOW ! - Lots of Misinformation and opinions that are based on a lack of factual knowledge. If you are truly interested in factual information about the Coyote and more importantly interested in reliable detailed information about the Coyote population and activity on Aquidneck Island - Go to the "Narragansett Bay Coyote Study" (NBCS) web-site http://theconservationagency.org/coyote.htm

Coyotes do attack humans when they want your dog for dinner and you try to save it or interfere. It happened twice in my neighborhood in Florida. Little dogs should never be left unattended. We also have hawks and owls who can and will take them for dinner. I do not think hunting them would help much but I DO think that when one starts stalking a human who is walking his dog it needs to be caught and killed. I also think there should be big fines for the people who feed them and therefore put other people in danger from coyotes who are not afraid of humans. Two coyotes tried to snatch my 6 pound dog in my yard in sea meadows a few years ago. I yelled and they ran away. I have seen coyotes many times going down the street in sea meadows as well as around the St Barnabus church area in Portsmouth.

Fact is, as long as humans and their stuff is involved, it is almost impossible for the surrounding ecosystem to achieve a stable (if dynamic) balance. We snuffed out the coyotes from around here, along with a lot of other species, but now some of them are finding ways to exploit the niches that we create. I mention this because the enterprising coyotes who have re-colonized our island (and elsewhere) have done so successfully because they have no predator to limit their population so the only limit is habitat and food resources. The coyote (there is a reason "Wiley" is a coyote) are very clever at adapting their behavior to the new situation and so habitat does not appear to be a near limit, and with garbage, pet food, and misguided fan feeding, I suspect that the food supply will not be that limit. Turns out, then, that we, the humans, might have to become the controlling predator, as is done in the West. These programs, run by wildlife professionals, are aimed at keeping things reasonable, not eradication of a species. Given that the votes in the PP poll are just about evenly split, a compromise program of measurement and culling might be the best practice. (I think very highly of coyotes and want them in my world, but I do recognize that having wild carnivores in the neighborhood is going to cause some problems.)

Pass a law like Middletown did, do not feed and enforce it with fines.

A coyote attacked the dog next door to me last night oct 4. I live on sherwood terrace near st Barnabus church. That also means the same coyote is wandering in the windstone area and fairview lane and roger Williams court. People please keep your small children and pets very close during the day and in the house after dark and before sunrise. I have repeatedly seen this coyote during middle of the day so just because it is daylight it does not mean you pets are safe. This coyote is not afraid to be near humans. It goes across my yard on a regular basis.

Having studied wild life biology, it is important to realize that Aquidneck Island creates a unique set of challenges for the coyote discussion. First, Eliminating them from an island is more likely than from the mainland, even with bridges. This conversation would not be happening in Sauderstown... Given that there is no room for expansion of habitat for the coyotes on this island, population pressures mean the coyotes will be pressed into neighborhoods in search of food and will take greater risks to procure food than in Saunderstown. This could lead to an increase an pet consumption. Best bet, utilize birth control and let them die off naturally. Yes, they'll come over the bridge or maybe even swim occasionally, but their numbers can always be kept in check.

I had a friend who was an experience hunter from Alaska. He was in Foster R.I. alone in the woods deer hunting. He was surrounded by a pack of six coyotes. Coyotes have been known to hunt in packs. If they are hungry enough they will take down a deer. He said he was glad he had his gun.
What I don't understand is if Ms.Mitchell from the coyote study is able to tag and collar them why isn't she neutering the males to help contain the population? I think the coyote study has run it's course. We should be using the money to trap and spray to control the population like Paws Watch does with the feral cats.