Many see coyotes around their homes. Some fear these wild animals. People wonder – can coyotes hurt humans? Do they attack people? The answer is complex.
Rarely Aggressive
Coyotes are rarely aggressive towards humans. They generally fear people and avoid interactions. Coyotes may attack pets or small livestock. But healthy coyotes don’t usually see humans as prey. There are very few confirmed reports of them harming adults.
Danger to Small Children
However, unattended small children could potentially be viewed as prey by very hungry coyotes. There are a few cases of tragic attacks on toddlers over the years. So supervision is important around den sites. Still, the risk is quite low overall.
Disease Carriers
While not prone to direct attacks on grown humans, coyotes can carry diseases like rabies, mange, or distemper. Be very cautious interacting with any wild coyote that seems sick, confused or excessively mangy. Notify authorities to test the animal.
So coyote attacks pose very little threat to most adults. But young kids should not be left unattended if coyotes are frequently sighted in the vicinity. Sick ones can spread concerning wildlife diseases so caution is warranted there as well by avoiding contact altogether.
