Coyote advocate defends the predator's presence in suburbiaSunday December 16, 2012, 8:33 PM
BY LINDA MOSS
STAFF WRITER
The Record
MAYWOOD — Frank Vincenti pleaded the case in defense of coyotes Sunday, but not everyone in his audience was buying it.
MITSU YASUKAWA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Frank Vincent discusses coyotes at the Maywood Public Library.
Vincenti, founder of the non-profit Wild Dog Foundation, is a strong advocate for predators such as coyotes all over the United States, including New Jersey. He credited coyotes with being intelligent and “highly adaptable,” able to survive and thrive in suburban and urban environments, such as the Bronx and Queens.
Vincenti had just begun his talk on “The Coyotes Problem” at the Maywood Public Library when a borough resident interrupted him. She complained about the host of coyotes that she said are on her land 24 hours a day.
“I’m used to seeing a lot of baby coyotes, but now I saw one the other day, maybe two days ago, that was as big as a mountain lion,” said the woman, who declined to identify herself. “I don’t live in New Mexico. I pay over $12,000 a year in taxes in Maywood. I think I can sit out on my patio in peace, without encouraging people [about] how to live with coyotes.”
“Well, that’s certainly your right,” said Vincenti, who volunteered to visit the women’s property once he finished his lecture. “Let me at least garner some understanding for them. I’m not looking to win everybody over, because I know that’s impossible.”
Last year, residents voiced concern about the coyotes that were then inhabiting the Borg’s Woods nature preserve in Hackensack. The residents were fearful of the coyotes, and claimed that they were preying on local fauna such as squirrels. Vincenti was involved with residents on the issue, and coyotes are no longer “denning” in that area.
“Rest assured, they’re not in Borg’s Woods anymore,” Vincenti said, but he added that they may have just moved to neighboring towns such as Maywood.Vincenti started the Mineola, N.Y.-based Wild Dogs education foundation, and for the past two decades has lectured about coyotes. He offers his assistance to towns that are trying to find ways to co-exist with the wild animals.
Coyotes don’t’ just reside in the Southwest, or Hackensack and Maywood for that matter. Vincenti said they now have found homes as far north as Alaska and as far south as Panama, as well as Bergen County. In the audience of roughly 30, people told Vincenti that they had seen coyotes in not only Maywood and Hackensack but towns such as Saddle Brook and Rochelle Park.
There are about 3,000 coyotes in the Garden State, Vincenti said, citing figures from the state.
“New Jersey has a healthy coyote population,” he said.
The way to deal with pesky coyotes is to confront them when you see them, without fear, according to Vincenti. Coyotes are really scaredy-cats who will learn to stay away if you intimidate them, Vincenti said.
“Coyotes are really innately fearful of humans: You can reinforce that,” he added. “They’re really easily frightened.”
He also portrayed coyotes as natural exterminators for vermin, adding that they don’t like human trash, the way a raccoon or bear does. Up to half of their diet are small rodents called voles, as they also like to feast on other pests.
“Coyotes are attracted to the rat population,” Vincenti said.
As for their sometimes chilling howling, it isn’t aimed at human ears, Vincenti said. It’s meant for their fellow coyotes, to mark their territory.
“Coyotes are highly vocal,” he said. “Howling has nothing to do with us.”
Vincenti’s slide show included a picture of Wile E. Coyote, the Warner Bros. cartoon that immortalized the lean wolf-like creatures.
“Warner Bros, really nailed the coyote perfectly,” Vincenti, referring to the animal’s tenacity and adaptability.
“I always was a fan of Wile E.,” he said. “I hated the Road Runner.”
Email: moss@northjersey.com