ENCOUNTERED A FOX OR COYOTE?

Don't fear!

With the right knowledge, living with wild urban canids can be safe, enjoyable, and rewarding. While conflict with wild animals is a real possibility, it is largely avoidable.

What to do

TIPS TO PEACEFULLY COEXIST WITH CANIDS

DON'T FEED THEM

Animals that associate people with food become more curious and dependent on humans while losing their natural fear.

Feed pets indoors and properly contain trash to avoiding conflict with canids.

When bird feeding, regularly collect fallen seed to avoid attracting rodents, a favorite prey item of fox and coyotes.

Secure compost piles and trash bins when possible.

did you know?

Human food makes up half of the diet of carnivores in urban areas, creating problems for people and the environment.

Monitor pets

Monitor your pets outdoors and keep dogs on a leash in areas known to hold wild canids. Whenever possible, keep your cats indoors.

While dangerous conflict between pets and wild canids is rare, it is a real possibility, especially during breeding and pupping season, typically during the winter and spring months.

Learn More

don't run, haze

Avoid playing victim to coyotes and don't run away from them.

Hazing strategies like yelling, clapping, and throwing objects in the direction of the animal help maintain canids' fear of humans. Consider carrying noisemakers when in areas canids frequent.

It is important that urban canids maintain their natural fear of humans. If an animal is not behaving normally, we recommend hazing techniques to minimize the chance of conflict. These aggressive acts help to naturally re-instill a fear of humans.

respect them

Mutual respect is the best way to peacefully coexist with urban canids.

Most of us live in close proximity to wild foxes and coyotes our whole lives without knowing it. Our actions shaped their adaptation to this urban landscape and will continue to shape them going forward.

Respecting these wild neighbors will help to foster a community of peaceful coexistence.

did you know?

Urban coyotes utilize wooded patches of parks, culverts, golf courses, underpasses, and even parking lots to make their dens.

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REPORT A SIGHTING

Have you seen a fox or coyote around Madison, WI?

Help us enhance our research by reporting a fox or coyote sighting on iNaturalist.

UWUCP uses iNaturalist, a citizen-science based global network to share biodiversity, to improve tracking and assess radio collar utility.

Follow these steps to report a sighting on iNaturalist:

Visit iNaturalist.org or download the iNaturalist app
Create a free account
Drag and drop a pin on our online map and datasheet to show where you saw the animal
Enter information about the encounter
Upload photos
Explore canid hotspots around Madison!