Can Coyotes Be Friendly? A Comprehensive Look

Coyotes are wild animals that most people see as a nuisance or even a danger. However, you may have heard stories about friendly, docile coyotes that seem to defy their species’ reputation. If you’re wondering whether coyotes can truly be friendly toward humans, you’ve come to the right place.

The quick answer is: coyotes are generally wary of humans and do not make good pets. However, there are rare cases of coyotes exhibiting friendly behavior when they’ve been habituated to human presence.

Coyote Behavior and Temperament

Naturally wary and skittish

Coyotes are naturally very wary and cautious animals. They have an innate instinct to be fearful of humans and other potential threats. This skittishness helps them survive in the wild by avoiding danger.

According to wildlife experts, coyotes will almost always retreat and run away when encountering humans, rather than attacking. Their first instinct is to protect themselves by fleeing from what they perceive as a potential risk.

In fact, coyotes are so timid that even small changes in their environment can scare them off. Things like trail cameras, dogs, and loud noises will make coyotes change their patterns and avoid an area. This cautious attitude means attacks on people are extremely rare.

A coyote’s nervous and mistrustful nature results in them preferring to be left alone.

Can adapt to human presence

While naturally quite timid, coyotes are incredibly adaptable mammals that can get used to human presence in their territory over time. According to urban wildlife specialists, when coyotes realize humans in the area are not a direct threat, they may gradually become less shy and apprehensive.

However, their fundamental cautious nature remains.

In urban and suburban areas where development encroaches on their natural habitat, coyotes can settle in if they have access to food and shelter. Although more used to seeing people, urban coyotes retain their wariness and keep their distance the majority of the time.

They mainly come out at night when less human activity occurs. With proper hazing and deterrents, urban coyotes can be taught to continue avoiding contact with humans.

Young coyotes more curious than adults

Coyote pups are more naive and inquisitive than adult coyotes. According to wildlife biologists, young coyotes between 6 to 9 months old feel emboldened to explore their surroundings. This means they may come closer to people out of curiosity.

However, fear usually overrides their inquisitiveness, and they will run away.

Adults are much warier and rarely seen. They display natural caution learned over time. Urban experts advise educating residents not to feed coyotes to discourage youngsters associating humans with food.

With proper behavior education, even bold pups retain their inherent wariness of people into adulthood.

Examples of Friendly Interactions

Habituated urban coyotes

Coyotes living in urban areas can become accustomed to the presence of humans over time. Repeated, non-threatening encounters with people can lead coyotes to lose their natural wariness. These “habituated” urban coyotes may seem quite friendly, letting people approach them or even hand-feeding them.

However, they remain wild animals and can be unpredictable. While attacks are rare, urban coyotes have bitten or scratched people who tried to touch or feed them. It’s best to appreciate habituated coyotes from a distance.

Orphaned coyotes raised by humans

On very rare occasions, people have hand-raised orphaned coyote pups found in the wild. These captive-reared coyotes bond with their human caretakers and can be quite affectionate. However, they retain their wild instincts as adults.

Tamed coyotes may work well as educational ambassadors at wildlife facilities but generally cannot transition to life as a regular pet. Most wildlife rehabilitation experts advise against keeping habituated or tamed coyotes as pets.

Intentional feeding leads to loss of fear

In some cases, people intentionally feed coyotes out of a desire to befriend them. Regularly providing food often causes coyotes to associate humans with an easy meal, leading habituated behavior. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife[1], intentionally feeding coyotes is illegal in some states.

It can promote aggressive behavior as coyotes become more demanding. And it may lead to coyotes losing their natural hunting skills and becoming dependent on human food sources.

While coyotes can adapt to living near people, they do best when they keep their natural wariness. Enjoying coyotes from a distance, not attempting to tame or touch them, helps keep these intelligent predators wily, safe, and wild.

Risks of Friendly Coyotes

Unpredictable nature

While coyotes may seem docile and friendly at times, their behavior can be unpredictable. Coyotes are wild animals that retain their natural instincts, regardless of any apparent domestication. Even those coyotes that have become habituated to living near humans can revert to wild behaviors quickly without warning.

Their skittish nature means they may bite or scratch out of fear, especially if cornered or threatened.

Coyotes are also naturally curious, which drives them to approach people and dwellings. However, this curiosity can lead them to cause damage as they explore yards and surrounding areas. They may dig up gardens, tip over garbage cans, or chew on items left unattended.

So while not overtly aggressive, their inquisitive nature can still pose risks.

Possibility of aggression

Though rare, there have been cases of coyotes attacking people, especially young children. Data from California showed that between 1977 and 2015 there were 159 reported coyote attacks on humans, resulting in 21 fatalities (see California Department of Fish and Wildlife).

While the likelihood of an attack is low, it cannot be ruled out.

Coyotes may become aggressive when they lose their natural fear of humans, usually through being fed. They begin to associate humans with food rewards and lose their wariness. If coyotes become reliant on human handouts, they can become demanding and even react aggressively if expectations of food are not met.

Territorial coyotes may also react aggressively to defend their territory from what they see as an intrusion. So humans venturing too close to a den with pups could face defensive parents. Coyotes infected with rabies may attack as well, though this remains rare.

Spread of disease

Coyotes can spread certain infectious diseases to humans, typically through bites. Rabies poses the most serious risk, though the incidence of rabies in coyotes is low (only 1.3% of tested individuals, per CDC).

Fortunately, rabies shots given soon after an infected bite almost always prevent the disease from developing. Beyond rabies, coyotes may also carry bacterial infections like tularemia, spotted fever group rickettsia, and mange.

While actual transmission to humans is uncommon, interacting closely with coyotes does increase the risk of exposure to various pathogens. Allowing coyotes to frequent yards and play areas can potentially bring wild diseases into human spaces.

Proper precautions should be taken, like avoiding close physical contact and thoroughly washing hands after touching coyotes.

Legality of Keeping Coyotes as Pets

Against the law in most states

It is illegal to keep coyotes as pets in most states across the United States. Only a handful of states, such as Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin, do not expressly forbid keeping coyotes as pets.

However, even in these states, native wildlife like coyotes usually fall under the jurisdiction of the state’s fish and game department, not the state veterinarian licensing board. So there may be additional restrictions or permitting requirements that make keeping a coyote impractical or impossible.

For example, in Nevada, a special permit is required from the Department of Wildlife in order to possess any live wildlife, including coyotes.

Laws prohibiting possession of coyotes as pets were likely enacted because coyotes are predatory animals with strong territorial instincts that make them unsuitable as pets. Coyotes are more closely related to wolves than domestic dogs and require very large, secure enclosures.

They are skilled hunters and will kill chickens, small livestock, cats and small dogs if given the opportunity. Even tame coyotes retain their wild instincts and can be unpredictable around humans, especially children.

Additionally, because coyotes are a rabies vector species, legal restrictions help limit human exposures to this dangerous virus.

Permit requirements for rehabilitation

In most states, the only exception to bans on keeping coyotes as pets is if the coyotes are used for educational purposes or are being rehabilitated before a planned release back into the wild. Even in these cases, special permits are usually required.

For example, in California, the Department of Fish and Wildlife issues permits to facilities engaged in coyote rehabilitation or public education. These facilities must demonstrate that they have appropriate caging or enclosures for housing coyotes, sufficient funding, and trained staff capable of caring for the animals properly.

Permitted rehabilitators are only allowed to keep sick, injured or orphaned coyotes temporarily – usually 6 months or less. The ultimate goal must be to release rehabilitated coyotes back into their natural habitats.

Coyotes that can no longer survive in the wild may be placed in permitted facilities for educational purposes. Humane euthanasia is required for coyotes that can no longer be used for education or released.

Zoos and education programs need licensing

Zoos, nature centers and other facilities that showcase coyotes for educational purposes need to be specially licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Licensing ensures these facilities comply with standards under the Animal Welfare Act related to housing, nutrition, sanitation and veterinary care.

Coyotes, like other wildlife, have complex welfare needs that ordinary pet owners may not be able to provide. Licensed exhibitors are better equipped to meet these needs.

Municipalities may also have their own permitting processes for keeping and displaying coyotes. For example, in Los Angeles county, a Conditional Use Permit from the Department of Regional Planning is required for keeping coyotes and other predators for exhibition.

So between federal, state and local laws, there are significant legal hurdles to possessing coyotes – even for educational purposes.

Creating a Safe Distance from Coyotes

Appreciate them from afar

Coyotes are wild animals that should be admired from a distance. Approaching or interacting with them puts both you and the coyotes in potential danger. Coyotes that become too comfortable around humans are more likely to be involved in incidents or possibly euthanized.

The best thing you can do is keep your distance and allow coyotes to remain wild.

Avoid intentional feeding

Intentionally feeding coyotes acclimates them to humans and leads to problematic behavior. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 70% of coyote attacks on pets happen when coyotes are intentionally fed. It is illegal in many states.

If you notice neighbors putting out food for coyotes, alert your local wildlife agency. The wisest and safest choice is to never feed or try to tame coyotes.

Take preventative measures in coyote territory

If you live or spend time in an area populated with coyotes, be vigilant about deterrents. According to the HSUS:

• Don’t leave small pets outside unattended.
• Install motion-sensor lights around the house.
• Clear brush and dense weeds from around the home to reduce hiding places.
• Use noisemakers and shouted words to scare off coyotes in your yard.

Taking sensible precautions goes a long way in protecting pets and family members. Being alert and proactive is better than waiting for a negative skirmish with a coyote venturing too close.

As you can see, coyote attacks are on the rise as these intelligent canines lose their fear of humans. Applying preventative measures can help reverse this trend and keep coyote populations safely away from areas frequented by people.

Conclusion

While coyotes are not suitable pets and generally maintain their wild wariness toward humans, there are rare exceptions when habituation leads to docile behavior. Caution is still required, as they remain unpredictable wild animals at heart.

By keeping a respectful distance, we can safely appreciate coyotes for their adaptability while also protecting their welfare and ours.