The City of Dallas has launched a new online coyote tracker.
The mapping tool can be used by both the City and the public to track coyote behavior in neighborhoods. The City will monitor the animals’ behavior to determine if coyotes are becoming too active in a particular community.
The website allows users to report a coyote sighting and provides an interactive tracking map showing coyote sightings across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The map tracks cases reported both through the website and through the hotline at (469)-676-9813.
Cases are categorized into observations, sightings, encounters, unattended pet attacks, and attended pet attacks. The City reportedly expects cases to rise in the spring.
The City began developing a coyote management plan after a two-year-old child was attacked by a coyote while sitting on the front porch of his home, as previously covered by The Dallas Express.
This publicly available interactive map is a crucial element of that management plan.
Paul Ramon, assistant director of Dallas Animal Services (DAS), said the map will help alert DAS of any locations with increased coyote activity. He said the DAS team will look for issues that may attract the animals, such as trash or pet food that is left outside and unsecured.
“They are part of wildlife. We should not be feeding them or providing opportunities by leaving pet food outdoors in plain view,” Ramon told Fox 4 KDFW. “If you feed your pet[s] and they did not eat it all, make sure you bring it inside.”
Ramon added that dog owners should keep their pets close by when going on walks.
“Retractable leashes go 10 feet,” he said. “Coyote sees that as potential prey because they are not close enough to the owner to see there is an alpha here other than me.”
Ramon also said it is critical to “haze” a coyote if you do encounter one. This can prevent the animals from becoming too comfortable around people.
“Having something to make a noise where you are heard” is important, he said. “If you run into one or at a distance, make yourself known by screaming or shouting, a whistle, a can with rocks. Shake it loud enough that it sends them back to their habitat away from human activity.”