ORLANDO, Fla. — There was a time before the 1980s when coyotes were not found in the Sunshine State.
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, coyotes have now been documented in all 67 Florida counties.
What You Need To Know
- Coyotes are found in all 67 Florida counties
- Wild coyotes are losing habitat forcing many into populated urban areas
- Coyotes being spotted more frequently on security cameras around Orlando
Their numbers across Florida are still unknown, but most experts think their populations are growing.
Wildlife officials say more and more coyotes have been migrating from the western U.S. to the east and into Florida.
And as more people move into central Florida, coyotes are turning up in more populated and urban areas.
Senior Florida Fish and Wildlife biologist Jane Johnston says the problem with urban coyotes is not going away.
“We are converting lots of forested habitats into urban habitats so they can occupy that small space, and we have a lot more people that can see them, record them on security cameras, because they are here to stay,” said Johnston.
One person that has been seeing more coyotes is Orlando resident Bill Schneider.
Bill and his wife Liz live a few miles from downtown Orlando.
The couple installed a security camera on their back porch and noticed something they have never seen before in their 30 years of living in Orlando.
“We had heard of coyote sightings all around central Florida, and we knew it was just a matter of time before they ended up here,” said Schneider.
One video concerned the couple — it showed a coyote stalking their pet cat.
“The coyote was prowling around the screened in area, and "Sissy" came bolting out, and he started chasing her, right up this tree and he nearly caught her,” he said.
The couple has multiple pets, some that live inside and outside their home.
Since their back porch coyote sightings, the couple-built security barriers around their screened porch to help keep the coyotes away from their cats.
“We were concerned the coyote could break through the standard screen and get at our cats which stay here at night. At night they are in here, and we wanted to leave them in a safe haven,” said Schneider.
Johnston says coyotes help balance ecosystems by balancing the populations of rodents such as opossums and raccoons, that can quickly overpopulate.
She recommends residents don’t keep their pets outside at night if you don’t have to.