With the mating season kicking off in January, more residents of Central Florida could see coyotes this year.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, places like Seminole County have seen upticks in coyote sightings in 2023.
These animals can be found in every one of the state’s counties, and they pose a large threat to residents and their pets.
FWC officials warn that coyotes prey on cats and small dogs, usually attacking either at night or during the hours of dusk and dawn.
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But how can residents find out which areas have had more problems?
The FWC offers an online map to track where coyote sightings have been reported.
The map shows the locations where these sightings were reported, indicated by either a green dot (recent reports) or a purple dot (reports prior to 2020).
In addition, each marker will explain the nature of the sighting, including whether an animal was killed, whether the coyote was found dead and whether a person was attacked.
According to the data, only two people were reported to be injured by coyotes between 2020 and 2023. Both of those cases stemmed from Brevard and Orange counties.
The following data shows other types of coyote incident reports in that timeframe throughout Central Florida.
| County | Animals Killed | Animals Injured | Missing Pets | Total Reports | Increase From 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevard | 18 | 3 | 10 | 204 | -16% |
| Flagler | 2 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 67% |
| Lake | 24 | 5 | 10 | 201 | -17% |
| Marion | 19 | 7 | 4 | 256 | 26% |
| Orange | 63 | 13 | 23 | 511 | 58% |
| Osceola | 6 | 2 | 1 | 75 | 4% |
| Polk | 18 | 0 | 4 | 131 | 47% |
| Seminole | 19 | 9 | 12 | 181 | 19% |
| Sumter | 3 | 0 | 3 | 43 | 20% |
| Volusia | 27 | 8 | 11 | 230 | -7% |
To prevent problems with coyotes, the FWC offers these tips:
- Never feed coyotes or leave food outside to attract wildlife
- Clean up pet food, fallen fruit and seeds around bird feeders
- Secure garbage cans and compost
- Close off crawl spaces under porches and sheds
- Do not allow small pets to roam freely outdoors
To report unusual coyote activity near you — including a coyote that is approaching people or attacking pets — click here.
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