Coyotes are one of several wildlife that people in Fresno and the Central Valley may encounter, with other wildlife including pumas (also known as mountain lions and cougars), racoons, opossom, grey foxes, and so on. But I find coyote encounters unique in that they are canines and very dog sized. People might be hypnotized into thinking it’s a good idea to feed or even attempt to get friendly with coyotes, but they’re definitely not pets (it’s not quite so easy to confuse a puma with a house cat, right?). Coyotes are often seen near the rural areas within Fresno County, but they’ve been becoming bolder and have been increasingly sighted in proper urban areas.
For me, I’ve had a few coyote encounters, with one sighting on Golden State Boulevard, and just today on Friday in Fowler along South Fowler Avenue and East American Avenue, which I had the opportunity to pull over and snap a few photos. While it’s definitely amazing to sight them, if you are sighting them in casual settings, such as at home or doing outside activities, it is recommended to scare the coyote off to discourage its association with humans and their property. The SPCA of Central California provides some resources and tips on our local wildlife.
