Coyotes in Buckhead!?!

[ironchapman]

This is perhaps the ultimate testament to Buckhead's suburban nature:

Coyotes Make Tracks in Metro

After Wednesday night's 11Alive News report of two coyotes on the prowl in Buckhead, viewers called and e-mailed with reports of coyotes in yards, along area creeks, even walking down Peachtree Road.

As the sun sets over Atlanta, it is time for coyotes to make tracks -- literally. Coyote tracks can be found all along the banks of Nancy Creek. Many coyotes have been seen walking along the MARTA tracks right into the heart of Buckhead.

I hope people stay on the lookout for them (the coyotes). What do you guys think? How should we get them out? Should we get them out?

[nick]

This is perhaps the ultimate testament to Buckhead's suburban nature:

Coyotes Make Tracks in Metro

I hope people stay on the lookout for them (the coyotes). What do you guys think? How should we get them out? Should we get them out?

Doesn't necessarily make Buckhead any more suburban. I believe a coyote was just caught in Central Park this week, and Manhattan isn't very suburban.

[Andrea]

Doesn't necessarily make Buckhead any more suburban. I believe a coyote was just caught in Central Park this week, and Manhattan isn't very suburban.

Well, I don't know if it's a testament to Buckhead's suburban nature, but coyotes have indeed moved in here in the last 2 or 3 years. I've had people tell me they've seen them in other neighborhoods around town as well although the ones in Buckhead seem to be hogging the press.

As to whether they should stay, there are mixed opinions. The urban coyote has been expanding its range into a number of cities -- New York, Boston, LA, etc. -- and appears to be able to exist alongside human society in densely populated areas. They don't seem terribly skittish about humans. Personally I think they are pretty cool but I worry about them hurting our pets.

[ironchapman]

Doesn't necessarily make Buckhead any more suburban. I believe a coyote was just caught in Central Park this week, and Manhattan isn't very suburban.

Well, I don't know if it's a testament to Buckhead's suburban nature, but coyotes have indeed moved in here in the last 2 or 3 years. I've had people tell me they've seen them in other neighborhoods around town as well although the ones in Buckhead seem to be hogging the press.

Actually, that comment about this being the "ultimate testament to Buckhead's suburban nature" was more of just a stab at the fact that a) I doubt that coyotes would have as easily made it into a more developed area like downtown or midtown and b) the usual mindset here is that Buckhead is suburban.

Anyways, this is still a very interesting occurrance. Has something like this happened before in recent memory?

In regards to whether they should stay or not....

It is true that animals have found a way to successfully coexist with humans in urban environments. You don't need to look any further than a flock of pigeons to see that. Also, predatory animals have also been successfully introduced into an urban environment. The best example is probably the perigrine falcon.

It is possible for them to coexist with us, but we need to watch them.

[Andrea]

Actually, that comment about this being the "ultimate testament to Buckhead's suburban nature" was more of just a stab at the fact that a) I doubt that coyotes would have as easily made it into a more developed area like downtown or midtown and b) the usual mindset here is that Buckhead is suburban.

Anyways, this is still a very interesting occurrance. Has something like this happened before in recent memory?

Oh, I'm told they've been seen in Midtown, too. The coyotes apparently like to migrate along rail lines, which is presumably how they got into Buckhead. They're amazingly hardy, and are living in downtown Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., and other large cities. Here's an interesting article from this month's Smithsonian Magazine.

As to whether it's happened before, I know we first started seeing them in my neighborhood about 2 or 3 years ago. I thought they were foxes at first.

[krazeeboi]

Well, they're basically dogs.

And they were here first.

[Andrea]

Well, they're basically dogs.

And they were here first.

Well, they weren't here when I moved in! They're cute to watch but they better not mess with my livestock. I've got a one-head herd of prime Georgia-fed dog here, and if I catch any coyotes lurking around they're gonna regret it.

[krazeeboi]

They might mate....

[Lady Celeste]

I don't know why a coyote being in Buckhead would be a surprise. Remember a few years ago when coyotes were roaming all on the west side of Atlanta. They are still there. Remember the black bears in southern Forsyth, northern Fulton and western Gwinnett.

My parents do not live that far outside of I-285. There are times when I have to dodge all kind of wildlife. A month ago I went to get the mail for my mother. When I got to the end of the driveway, to my surprise, there was a male deer with the prettiest antlers. He was so huge that he startled me. He was eatting the pansies. I tried to run him away but he was so big and unafraid that he looked at me and continued eatting. Since he was bigger and wild, I decided that a few pansies were okay....besides, Home Depot and/or Lowes would be open the next day.

There is alot of wildlife here in metro Atlanta and I-285 is not some magical wall that will stop most wildlife. They are just adapting to the new surroundings. Speaking of wildlife, I was at my parents home a few years ago and I saw a spider so big that when he walked on the street, I could have sworn that I heard his feet. The scorpions were dreadful. Raccons and oppossums are plentiful. The hawks owls and eagles are pretty though.

[krazeeboi]

Celeste, you did the right thing concerning the buck. I would hate to see you on the next episode of "When Animals Attack."

[Andrea]

My parents do not live that far outside of I-285. There are times when I have to dodge all kind of wildlife. A month ago I went to get the mail for my mother. When I got to the end of the driveway, to my surprise, there was a male deer with the prettiest antlers. He was so huge that he startled me. He was eatting the pansies. I tried to run him away but he was so big and unafraid that he looked at me and continued eatting. Since he was bigger and wild, I decided that a few pansies were okay....besides, Home Depot and/or Lowes would be open the next day.

Love it, Celeste!

Our office building backs up to I-285, and there's a small stretch of woods between us and the sound barrier wall. We love watching the little family of deer who live there -- you rarely see Dad, but last fall we often saw Mom and the baby out walking around. They seemed quite content, despite the roar of the freeway less than 100' feet away.

There really is a lot of wildlife in the city. In VA-Highland we had a problem with raccoons coming up from the woods and eating our dogs' food. They were quite brazen and would sit at the back door, waiting for us to bring them more food. One of them somehow got into our grill one time, and when I opened it he jumped out and nearly scared me to death.

Ansley Park of course is heavily wooded and they back up to Piedmont Park and the golf course as well. So they have a lot of critters, too. A friend of mine told me they started seeing coyotes about the same time we did. My guess is that it's a combination of them being pressured out of their more rural habitats plus the fact that they've found the pickings to be pretty good here in the city.

[socaguy]

Anyone remember the monkey (was it a Chimp?) that got loose on Cheshire Bridge Rd. many years back?