Coyote Sightings May Be More Common During Winter Mating Season
ERIE, Colo. (CBS4) - An aggressive coyote chased a jogger and her dog twice on Wednesday near a park in Erie, police said.
The near-brushes happened near the Erie Community Park. Neither the woman nor the dog was injured.
Wildlife officials say sightings may be more frequent in the next couple months during the animals' mating season.
"That's good to know because, of course, there's going to be wilder behavior," Erie resident Linda Williamson said. "They're around. I hear them at night. Very close at night."
That's precisely why wildlife officials think a coyote showed some aggressive behavior toward the woman. She ran away to call police, who then searched the area. When she started jogging again, the coyote approached her.
Using his car and siren, an officer chased the animal away and informed parks and wildlife officials.
Experts again asked residents to keep these safety tips in mind:
* Carry pepper spray or a whistle when out walking, jogging or riding a bike
* Don't run if you see a coyote
* Make yourself look big and yell or throw things at the animal
* Keep pets, especially small dogs, on a short leash
Erie police say they haven't received any additional reports of coyotes in the area, but they're asking the community to be aware.
