Tacoma coyote sightings have nearly doubled this year. Why?
Residents in Tacoma's North End have been noticing more coyotes than ever, and the numbers back it up. According to city data, reported coyote sightings jumped from 9 in 2016 to 23 in 2017, and had already reached 42 by late 2018, with a concentration around the University of Puget Sound area.
But does that mean the coyote population is actually growing? Not necessarily, according to wildlife biologist Matthew Stevens of the USDA. Fall and early winter naturally bring more sightings each year, as young coyotes born in spring venture out to find their own territory. More often than not, they head toward urban areas because of one simple reason: food. Bird feeders, compost bins, outdoor pet food, and accessible garbage all attract them.
To better understand what is actually going on, Metro Parks Tacoma and the University of Washington Tacoma launched the Urban Wildlife Project, placing 25 motion-activated cameras across the city. The pilot program, part of a nationwide network, aims to document urban mammals and eventually expand to around 60 cameras reaching as far as Northwest Trek in Eatonville.
For residents worried about safety, Stevens offered some perspective: the risk of a dangerous encounter with a coyote is lower than being struck by lightning.
