It's not often you find a dead coyote off a major urban interstate, but odds are it won't be the last prairie wolf to roam the streets of downtown Atlanta.
Better get used to it, said Brent Womack, a wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The jackals are here to stay.
The dead coyote was discovered Monday on the Freedom Parkway entrance off the Downtown Connector northbound, just behind Walden Middle School. It's not known what killed the animal, found with blood coming out of his mouth, though his carcass wasn't mangled.
"Sometimes they make mistakes just like everyone else," Womack told the AJC. "But they are a very resourceful animal. They can live on just about anything."
A quarter century ago, you couldn't find a coyote anywhere in Georgia. Now they're found in every county in the state, Womack said.
They've been steadily migrating over recent years, settling everywhere from the wetlands around Sope Creek in east Cobb to the heavily wooded neighborhoods in Buckhead. Earlier this month, Decatur residents appealed to city leaders for help in controlling the burgeoning coyote population.
Many other cities have tried, and failed, to combat encroaching coyotes.
"There's not much you can do about them," Womack said. "They're everywhere. Even New York City has coyotes. "
LIVING WITH COYOTES
- Never, under any circumstances, feed a coyote.
- Keep items such as grills, pet food or bird feeders off-limits. Clean and store grills when not in use, keep pet food indoors or feed pets indoors, and refill bird feeders with small amounts and only as needed.
- Make trash cans inaccessible. Fasten lids securely or store trash cans in the garage until trash day.
- Take pets indoors at night, as this is the coyote's primary hunting time.
- If pets must be kept outside, install fencing and flood lights to discourage predators.
- Never approach a coyote that shows no fear of people, acts aggressively or appears uncoordinated or sick.
--Tips from Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
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