Coyotes in River Oaks

Coyotes in River Oaks. What's next?

Fears are running high that coyotes living in Memorial Park's isolated areas are wandering farther afield, bringing them into contact with joggers and residents of the city's toniest neighborhood, River Oaks.

And here I thought the River Oaks rent-a-cop corps kept out all the undesirables. Silly me.

There have been periodic coyote sightings in Memorial Park for many years, parks department officials said.

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"We have them all over Harris County. ... We've kind of embarked upon their habitat," Capt. Albert Lynch of the Texas Parks and Wildlife said. "Development has pushed them into a smaller area."

Well, yes, but we're not talking about some frontier housing development in the far reaches of Montgomery County here. Memorial Park is inside the Loop, and River Oaks is between it and downtown. If the coyotes are there they've either migrated in or we've been coexisting with them for decades. Maybe they've expanded their range for whatever reason, but it's not because recent development has encroached on their habitat.

Apparently, Austin is having similar problems.

Unusually brazen coyotes have been spotted in streets, yards and playgrounds and even on porches in neighborhoods throughout Travis County, and a program approved Tuesday aims to instill a bit of fear back into the packs.

Travis County and the City of Austin will finance a $40,000 contract with the Texas Wildlife Services Program to cull the coyotes. The problem has been most pronounced in the Northwest Hills area.

The culling, to be handled by a wildlife biologist, will be focused on the most aggressive animals that have lost their innate fear of humans, said Jeff Ripley of Texas Cooperative Extension. In turn, the remaining coyotes should relearn to avoid humans. The animals will be humanely trapped, then euthanized. The traps will be set on public lands with limited access for people.

Texas regulations do not permit the relocation of coyotes.

Residents bear some responsibility for quelling the problems, Ripley said, and an education program will go hand in hand with the culling.

"This is not something that Wildlife Services can do on their own," Ripley said.

In particular, residents should refrain from feeding the coyotes or leaving pet food outside where the coyotes can get it. They should also seal their garbage cans. Pets should remain inside or on a leash.

Humans encroaching on wildlife habitat and the bad things that can result are indeed serious issues across the country. I'd like to see some proof that coyotes are infesting River Oaks, though. I'm not just being snarky here, either - the Heights isn't that far away from Memorial Park, so if the coyotes really are ranging outwards from there, it may be just a matter of time before they're in my back yard, too.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on November 10, 2004 to Elsewhere in Houston | TrackBack