HOUSTON – Neighbors arm themselves after coyotes spotted along the Westchase walking trail.
Several coyotes have been spotted along a popular walking trail in the Westchase area.
Ann Redd lives near the trail between West Park Drove and Richmond Avenue. She walks it every day, and almost every day she sees coyotes nearby.
“They’re here in the morning it could be 8 o’clock in the morning, 11 o’clock, all the way until night,” said Redd.
The other night she says she took her dog for a walk and her grandkids came too.
“From nowhere it was staring at us right there. They were walking really fast behind us and as soon as I said okay let me kind of pep up my step, they did the same,” said Redd.
Redd says she and her neighbors are worried about the frequent sightings.
“Yeah we have to protect ourselves, one time I had to let off a warning shot and they ran, but it shouldn’t have to be that— this is supposed to be safe,” said Redd.
Texas Parks and Wildlife officials say coyotes live all around us and they are not going anywhere.
“They are a critical part of our ecosystem, especially in urban areas. I can take out a coyote if we need to, especially if one has become aggressive, but be aware another coyote will replace it,” said Kelly Conrad Simon, a Wildlife Biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Simon says it is also mating season so you will see coyotes more often. Remember if you ever encounter a coyote do not run, do not get in between a mother and its pups, and never ever feed coyotes.
“You’re going to raise your arms up, you’re going to make yourself look larger, you’re going to yell you’re going to speak assertively,” said Simon to help scare off coyotes.
Simon says can also take a picture of the coyote sighting and let Texas Parks and Wildlife officials know where it is. That will help them learn more about the local coyote population.
Go to www.inaturalist.org to upload your picture.