Daytime sightings of coyotes appear to be increasing in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown 

Daytime sightings of coyote appear to be on the rise in The Villages.

Lois Rose of the ViIlage of Santo Domingo lives in a home that backs up to the Sharon Morse Owl Preserve.

This past week, she shot photos of an animal she believes to be a coyote.

A fellow Village of Santo Domingo resident on Friday appeared before the Community Development District 2 Board of Supervisors and pleaded with them to help persuade AM-640 WVLG to broadcast reports of coyote sightings. She described daytime sightings of coyotes in her neighborhood and said she is concerned about the safety of her dog. 

CDD 2 Supervisor Bill Schikora said he has seen coyotes from his home.

“The noise from the sliding glass door will scare them off. They’re not aggressive,” Schikora said.

Encounters between people and coyotes in Florida are occurring more often, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

As coyotes become used to people, they may lose some fear of people, so sightings of coyotes during the day may increase. Coyotes also become more difficult to scare away if they lose their fear of people. But, like other wild animals, that tendency will vary from one coyote to another. Several coyote attacks on dogs and cats have been reported here in The Villages.

No humans have been the target of coyote attacks in Florida, according to FWC.

Coyotes are medium-sized mammals in the same family as dogs, wolves and foxes. Their fur is generally salt-and-pepper gray, with tan or brown patches. They have a thick, bushy tail, long, pointy nose and pointy ears. Adults in Florida weigh between 20 and 35 pounds on average, and males are generally larger and heavier than females.

The presence of coyotes has been documented in all 67 Florida counties.

Be cautious if you are going to pick up your pet when you see a coyote. Picking up a pet may stop a coyote attack, but it can  also lead to a situation in which an aggressive coyote continues to go after that pet while in the arms of a person.

You can report a coyote attack to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by calling the regional office nearest to you or by calling (888) 404-3922.