On December 7, 2022 the Nahant Board of Selectmen voted to bring in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife to remove “problem” coyotes, making it the first municipality in Massachusetts to actively shoot and kill coyotes. This plan raises many questions and concerns.
As Massachusetts wildlife officials themselves have noted, there is no way for the federal sharpshooters to identify which coyotes are the nuisance animals. Town and wildlife officials have also noted that this is only a temporary “solution” and that the coyote population will likely be quickly replenished. It is almost certain that there is one or more human-provided food sources, whether intentional or not. If officials do not take aggressive steps to crack down on the feeding of wildlife, they will find themselves in the same position next year.
There may also be unintended consequences of Nahant’s planned kill. Coyotes help to control rodent populations, and so those ecological services will no longer be present. Also, if the alpha male or female of a pack is killed, their pups are more likely to reproduce at a younger age and to have more pups—killing coyotes can actually result in more coyotes.
Also concerning is the selectmen’s assertion that if Massachusetts’ 1996 restrictions on body-gripping traps (e.g., legholds, footholds) were overturned and “humane leghold traps” were permitted, officials would be able to better address problem coyote issues. In reality, there is no such thing as a “humane” leghold trap; all body gripping traps are cruel and indiscriminate. Additionally, Massachusetts has never used trapping as a method to manage the coyote population. Read more about the 1996 Wildlife Protection Act, the problems with trapping, and a sampling of incidents of pets being caught in body gripping traps.
The coyote population in Massachusetts has now stabilized; it is no longer increasing, but it is also not decreasing. It’s critical that Massachusetts citizens are empowered with the knowledge they need in order to coexist humanely with coyotes. Visit our Coexisting with Coyotes campaign page to learn more.
What can I do?
- Write to your local officials and tell them you never want a coyote cull in your community. (Find your local elected officials here.)
- Learn how to peacefully coexist with coyotes, including hazing techniques.
- Reach out to us if you’d like to get more involved.
- Join our Animal Action Team to stay up to date on all the latest animal protection news in Massachusetts.
