Wildlife & Habitat
Wildlife Concerns - Coyote Safety
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Precautions / Warnings
While coyotes attacking humans is a rare occurrence, most are directed at young children. Attacks are more apt to occur when coyotes have lost their natural fear of humans. Coyotes lose there fear of humans when they are rewarded for coming in close contact, such as consuming pet food or garbage, either intentionally or unintentionally left where they can access it.
A variety of diseases can afflict coyotes, particularly if overpopulation occurs. Diseases include rabies, mange, hepatitis and distemper. Rabies in coyotes caused concerns in Nevada in the past when outbreaks occurred. Rabies could potentially be cause for concern in the future.
Many people, particularly those who live in Nevada’s urban areas, have concerns about the well being of the coyotes that they see. While it is normal for people to want to help the animals, the Nevada Department of Wildlife cautions that our good intentions can sometimes cause problems or even harm the animals. The agency offers the following advice to people who have concerns or are having problems with coyotes:
| Coyote Safety Precautions |
 With just a few common sense precautions, coyote/human incidents can be greatly reduced or eliminated.
- Do not feed coyotes or any other wild animal. Providing food makes them dependent and they can lose their natural fear of humans. People who provide them with food run the risk of being bitten and increase the chance of their neighbors having a coyote issue.
- Don’t corner the animal, such as in a garage. Give it plenty of opportunity to escape. Do not let your pets harass them, they are very capable fighters.
- Keep pet food out of their reach and secure garbage cans. Coyotes are opportunistic and will make a meal of pet food or table scraps that are left in unsecured containers. If a dog or cat is fed outside, bring uneaten food inside as soon as the pet has finished eating. Place trash in a secure container so that it is unavailable to coyotes.
- Abide by leash laws and avoid letting dogs and cats roam freely. Coyotes kill and eat small dogs and house cats.
- Work with your neighbors on making your neighborhood undesirable to coyotes. If coyotes are frequenting your neighborhood, you can be certain that they are being fed or are finding food. By working with your neighbors, you may be able to eliminate food sources that are bringing the animals into the neighborhood.
- Be supportive of animal control and wildlife agencies that are working with coyotes and other wildlife and domestic animals.
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To Report a coyote problem in Southern Nevada, call (702) 486-5127.
Read our press release on Living With Coyotes in Southern NV
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