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TARRYTOWN, N.Y. The next dog you see walking across the street could actually be a coyote.
Tarrytown police have received several reports of coyotes in recent weeks in or near the Crest neighborhood.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Spokesperson Lisa King said coyote sightings are not unusual for the area.
Coyotes are fairly common in Westchester County, King said, and because they are typically not hunted or trapped in that location, they become very bold and show little fear of people. Thus, they are seen a lot.
The EF School reported on December 7 that there was a coyote on the school's grounds around 11:30 p.m.. The school's security told police they heard a small dog being attacked in the area of the lower field. Police checked the area and did not find the coyote.
Another coyote was reported earlier on the same day on Altamont Ave. by a Tarrytown woman. The woman told police she saw the coyote in her driveway around 9:30 a.m. The coyote ran off eastbound into the woods, the woman told police.
The Altamont Ave. resident also told police that two coyotes had been responsible for killing a deer on her property on December 6.
Tarrytown police notified Greenburgh Animal Control Response about coyotes on Altamont Ave.
Several coyotes were spotted running across White Plains Road on November 30. The DEC said as unlikely as it may seem, human development makes surprisingly good coyote habitat.
As coyotes increasingly adapt to people, more encounters between humans and coyotes will occur, either as sightings, confrontations with pets, disturbed garbage or pet foods, or howling at night, the DEC's website stated. Some background on coyote habits may help people understand these encounters and solve any problems that occur. To minimize conflicts, it is important that suburban residents do their part to maintain the natural fear that coyotes have of people.
For more information on what to do if you see a coyote, visit the Department of Environmental Conservation's website.
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