Editor’s note: Cape Hatteras National Seashore‘s workshop on coyotes previously scheduled for Aug. 27 has been rescheduled for 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the Ocracoke Community Center.
By Connie Leinbach
Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will co-host public workshop on Ocracoke Island covering the behavior and biology of coyotes, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27, in the Ocracoke Community Center.
Workshop attendees will also learn laws and regulations regarding coyotes and practical methods to prevent or reduce conflicts with them.
Evidence of coyotes has been seen on the Ocracoke beach, and, along with the destruction of sea-turtle and bird nests, islanders have been concerned about the possibility of the animals venturing into the village and attacking island pets, community cats and chickens.
A group of island volunteers met in July with Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Dave Hallac and Meaghan Johnson, chief of resource management and science, to voice concern for their own safety as well as the village, and they take issue with the stance that “we’ve just got to live with coyotes.”
These volunteers, many of whom also helped rescue sea turtles stunned by cold weather this winter, monitor the turtle nests in the early evening hours when the nests are close to hatching.
During the July meeting, Hallac said that starting Aug. 5 officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services would be on Ocracoke for two weeks to better understand the situation and possibly do some trapping.
After the USDA group finishes, from that information, the turtle group and the Park Service, with input from Hyde County, can develop a plan and a community meeting would be scheduled.
“Coyote predation on sea turtle nests is not uncommon, not only at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, but along many of the sea turtle nesting beaches in the southeast U.S.,” Hallac said. Several nests were impacted by coyotes in the northern areas of the Seashore this year.
Just to the south, Cape Lookout National Seashore, which includes Portsmouth Island, is also experiencing coyote predation.
“Over the last couple of years, we have had between 13 and 24 nests impacted annually,” he said.
NPS programs are centered on nest protection but not so much on predator control, he said, although they have removed coyotes from other areas with a surgical approach.
But the Ocracoke group pushed back.
“We feel we have a problem predator,” said James Aiken, speaking on behalf of the group.
One of the Park Service’s edicts is to protect endangered species, such as sea turtles, Aiken said.
“That’s put at risk by these additional coyotes,” he said.
Aiken cited Sanibel Island, Florida, where the coyote population mushroomed from one in 2011 to 27 in 2017.
“So, it’s a progression (of growth) and I see us at the beginning of that progression,” he said. “If we follow the advice that we just have to live with them and adapt because we don’t have the money to spay and neuter them, we’re going to no longer be the sanctuary for turtle nests or for birds.”
Susan Aiken added that they also live in Atlanta, Georgia, where coyotes have made inroads and can be heard howling at night.
“If we don’t deal with it now, in a few years they’re going to adapt to this very unique environment that we have here and wipe it out,” she said.
Ruth Fordon said that she hopes the village, be they businesses or the Ocracoke Civic & Business Association, can participate in this effort.
“The village is going to be concerned if this increases,” she said about coyotes. “We don’t want to be overwhelmed.”
Rita Thiel said that island residents cannot legally go on Park Service land to control coyotes from venturing to the village.
“So, it is your responsibility to stop a top predator from entering the village – and he is the top predator here — that could do decimating damage,” she said.
Hallac responded that the Park Service is not responsible for coyotes and cannot guarantee to remove every coyote from the island.
Coyotes are a wild canine species native throughout North America and, by extension, the Outer Banks, he said.
He also said multiple studies have confirmed that attempts to eradicate coyotes from selected areas have not been successful, in fact, resulted in more coyotes than before.
As to how they have shown up in the last couple of years, Johnson said that scat analysis from samples taken on Portsmouth and Ocracoke have revealed that some are swimming across Ocracoke Inlet.
Aiken said he worries about the slow mechanics of government and asked that whatever plan is devised, they should act quickly.
“Seeing a coyote at night, particularly in a developed area, is not abnormal behavior,” Hallac said. “If they’re approaching humans, in almost every case they’re doing that because there is a human food source that should not be there that’s attracting them.”
As for islanders’ concerns about the village, Hallac reiterated that “the best things they can do are to keep their pets inside and to eliminate any overnight pet or wildlife feeding outside. If you’re feeding pets outside, you’re going to likely have a problem.”