According to a report from an online newspaper, The Chronicle, out of Ontario, areas around Dutton/Dunwich are seeing increased livestock kills by coyotes. A member of the Dutton Council said he didn’t know why there are more attacks on livestock this year. Other council members suggested a bounty program would help limit the losses by reducing the number of coyotes.
It’s not really rocket science as to why coyotes might be killing more livestock. There seems to be a bit of a suggestion in this article that perhaps there are more claims being filed because, as I read into the story, it’s easier to get a claim than before. However, the report does state that there are more livestock killings. As such, the only plausible answer is that what coyotes there are are hungry.
Now that may sound silly but coyotes need to eat. There may be increases in coyote numbers competing for available prey or a reduction of available “natural” prey, or a combination of both, and the result is the need for the animals to visit the local farm or neighborhood and seek out alternative available prey. Say good-bye to livestock and Muffy the family cat.
Simple enough!
Tom Remington
