Residents Spot Coyote In Teaneck, Police Say

TEANECK, NJ — A coyote has been spotted in town recently, police said.

Police received several reports of a coyote or fox near Queen Anne Road and Merrison Street Friday, authorities said in a Facebook post. They said they monitored the situation. They provided no further updates.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection states on its website that coyotes primarily hunt rodents and rabbits for food, but will take advantage of whatever is available, including garbage, pet food, and unattended domestic animals.

Residents should not allow coyotes access to human food and garbage, which, they said, "can lead to problems."

"They may cause property damage and threaten human safety, requiring euthanasia," police said. "Relocating a problem coyote or fox is not an option because it only moves the problem to someone else's neighborhood."

Coyotes have been spotted several times in Bergen County in recent years, including one where they were aggressive.

A coyote was spotted three times in Haworth in 2018.

Five coyotes circled a dog walker and a dog in Saddle River last year. The five coyotes came within six feet of the walker and the dog, but did not attack. A passing motorist honked their horn, got out and disrupted the confrontation.

Two such animals were seen in Saddle River County Park in May 2016.

A coyote that attacked and bit a man walking his dog in Norwood in 2015 tested positive for rabies. That animal was later found and euthanized. A female coyote was found near a Norwood school and a den was not far away.

Coyotes were also spotted in Paramus, Ridgewood, Midland Park, and Harrington Park in 2015.

Coyotes tend to move in groups and can migrate from one community to another looking for a place to live and food, said DEP spokesman Larry Hajna last year after several coyote sightings were reported in Bergen County.

The DEP offers the following advice to try to reduce the likelihood of coming to conflict with a coyote:

• Never feed a coyote. Deliberately feeding coyotes puts pets and other residents in the neighborhood at risk.
• Feeding pet cats and/or feral (wild) cats outdoors can attract coyotes. The coyotes feed on the pet food and also prey upon the cats.
• Put garbage in tightly closed containers that cannot be tipped over.
• Remove sources of water, especially in dry climates.
• Bring pets in at night.
• Put away bird feeders at night to avoid attracting rodents and other coyote prey.
• Provide secure enclosures for rabbits, poultry, and other farm animals.
• Pick up fallen fruit and cover compost piles.
• Although extremely rare, coyotes have been known to attack humans. Parents should monitor their children, even in familiar surroundings, such as backyards.
• Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.
• Clear brush and dense weeds from around dwellings — this reduces protective cover for coyotes and makes the area less attractive to rodents and rabbits. Coyotes, as well as other predators, are attracted to areas where rodents are concentrated like woodpiles.
• If coyotes are present, make sure they know they're not welcome. Make loud noises, blast a canned air siren, throw rocks, or spray them with a garden hose.

Related:

• Coyote Sightings On The Rise In Bergen County
• Authorities Warn Of Aggressive Coyotes At Saddle River County Park

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com