Coyotes: Living in the Shadow of Bloomfield Township
By Ofc. Pete Matejcik, Bloomfield Township Police Dept.
 One of the truly beautiful aspects of
Bloomfield Township is the country feel we have all worked so
hard to preserve. Instead of the concrete, steel, noise and
congestion of urban development, Bloomfield Township has
worked at being ‘green’ long before it became the latest fad.
Township residents have an appreciation for nature and
wildlife, and that’s why we have one of the most beautiful
communities in southeast Michigan.
Much of this wildlife goes unnoticed, even though it is
quite active in broad daylight. Red-tailed Hawks, groundhogs,
and even deer can be seen all hours of the day. Some of this
wildlife, like coyotes, exist in the twilight of our
day-to-day activities and may never be seen - but they’re
still here.
 Coyotes, (Canis Latrans), are about as
big as a medium-sized German shepherd, and usually
yellowish-gray in color. The tail of a coyote is bushy, black
tipped, and carried on a level plane with its back. The snout
of a coyote is elongated and pointed, as are its ears. While
more active during hours of darkness, coyotes can often be
seen in the day between mid January and March as this is their
breeding season.
Coyotes are an opportunistic hunter, usually feeding at
night on small mammals such as mice, voles, shrews, rabbits,
and squirrels. However, they have also been known to eat
garbage, garden vegetables, pet food, and even unattended
small dogs and cats. In spite of this, coyotes are not
considered a threat to humans. In fact, public health
authorities state people have a much better chance of being
bitten by rodents, snakes, and domestic dogs than they do by
coyotes.
Some would argue that the coyotes in Bloomfield Township
could be trapped and relocated. This ‘solution’ ignores two
important facts. Firstly, once coyotes have been removed from
our community, coyotes from adjacent areas would doubtless
fill the void. Secondly, with the coyotes removed from
Bloomfield Township, the population of nuisance wildlife would
burgeon as an important predator has vanished from the scene.
However one feels about the coyote, this reclusive animal
plays an important part in the ecological balance of our
community.
To continue our peaceful coexistence with the coyote,
Bloomfield Township recommends the following:
Never intentionally feed coyotes or leave food out for
them; this makes them less afraid of humans and,
potentially, more aggressive as they’ll begin to associate
the presence of humans with food.
Never approach, touch, or attempt to touch a coyote.
Put garbage out on the morning it is to be collected,
and never the night before.
Clear away wood and brush piles from your yard. These
attract the small rodents that are the staple diet of
coyotes.
NEVER ALLOW PETS TO ROAM FREE. Accompany smaller pets
outside when they need to relieve themselves. Aside from
the coyote, even the Red-tailed Hawk is a threat to small
pets. Lastly, pet owners may be in violation of Township
ordinance for allowing pets to stray.
The existence of the coyote in our community does not
demand they be hunted or removed. Instead, the coyote is
worthy of our understanding and respect. Remember, the coyote
is not living in our community – we are living in his.
Increased human population and development in any area will
certainly increase the chances of contact with the coyote as
we impinge upon its habitat. Understanding the coyote will
reduce the probability of contact turning into confrontation.
(Source of information: Michigan Department
of Natural Resources)
Home |
Government |
Services |
Community |
Current Events |
Resources
Contact Us |
E-mail List |
Forms
Still can't find what you're looking for?
Use our comprehensive Search or
Site Map pages!
Charter Township of Bloomfield
4200 Telegraph Road
P.O. Box 489
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0489
248.433.7700
This site is best viewed in Internet Explorer
5.5 or higher and Netscape 6.0 or higher.
Having trouble accessing our site forms?
Your browser may not have the Acrobat Reader plug-in
that is required.
Click here to download a free copy of this software.
Site Design/Development
by
Proudly serving our community online since
1999.
Named #1 Township Website in Michigan by Cyber-state.org
Site Use
Policy
All information © 2008 Bloomfield
Township, Michigan
|
