Residents in one Boynton Beach neighborhood are on edge after a recent coyote attack left one dog dead and sparked fears about safety.
The Club at Boynton Lakes community is now getting guidance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The attack happened just two weeks ago in a homeowner’s driveway during a morning walk. Since then, residents say they’ve spotted coyotes roaming in broad daylight — something wildlife experts say is unusual behavior.
“Usually coyotes are afraid of people,” said resident Tony Badalamenti. “But there’s a couple of them that come out during the day and they’re not too shy. They’re out here hunting — not for a social call.”
Earlier this week, another coyote was seen near the same area. Residents such as Ricardo Diaz say they’ve noticed signs of predation.
“We followed the coyote, he was chasing ducks, then slipped through the fence to the meadows,” Diaz said. “We’ve been finding dead ducks all the time — we think the coyotes are eating them.”
The sightings aren’t limited to Boynton Beach. Over in Jupiter’s Shores community, residents reported a similar encounter.
An FWC interactive map that logs reported coyote sightings shows many of them across the tricounty region over the past year. “If you live anywhere in Florida, you share the landscape with coyotes,” the FWC says on its website. “Coyotes are found across the state and have been documented in all 67 counties. They are common in rural, suburban and even urban landscapes.”
The FWC held a virtual meeting about coyotes on Tuesday night, advising residents to:
— Secure trash and food sources.
— Keep pets indoors or closely supervised.
— Consider installing electric fencing.
— Use so-called “hazing methods” — which the FWC says is the process of disturbing an animal’s sense of security so it leaves an area. “Waving your arms, yelling and acting aggressively will usually cause a coyote to retreat,” an FWC video says.
The wildlife commission says coyote attacks on humans are rare — about nine per year compared to millions of dog-related incidents requiring medical treatment. But the agency warns that mating season means more sightings are likely.
“Coyotes normally think of dogs as very dangerous or possible prey,” said an FWC representative.
Some residents are taking extra precautions.
“We’re definitely on high alert,” said Hannah Parandle. “I’ve got my pepper spray. We’re ready.”
Others, like Diaz, carry deterrents. “I carry this little water-based gun to scare them off my puppies.”
WPEC-CBS12 is a news partner of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Information from the Sun Sentinel was used to supplement this news article.
