Animal control officer says about 35 roam the township
By: Nick Norlen
Numerous sightings of a coyote growling at dog walkers in Princeton Battlefield State Park have prompted Princeton Township officials to seek a trapper to find and kill the animal.
Township Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson said he is aware of approximately 35 coyotes in the township, but he believes the 15 to 20 calls he has received are about just one.
"We have one in particular that’s being a little more aggressive than what he should be," Mr. Johnson said. "I’ve had reports of him growling at people walking their dogs."
Mr. Johnson said he is "in the process of trying to get a nuisance trapper to get him put down humanely so another Middletown does not happen," he said, referring to two separate attacks on young boys in Middletown Township in April and May.
According to the state Division of Fish and Wildlife Web site, "relocating a problem coyote is not an option because it only moves the problem to someone else’s neighborhood."
The abnormal behavior displayed by the coyote in the park is cause for concern, Mr. Johnson said.
"Especially how he’s not doing a coyote thing. Usually a coyote is very shy," he said.
State Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Darlene Yuhas said coyotes are indeed usually "very wary of humans."
She added, "Sometimes that behavior changes when they become habituated to human food sources."
Mr. Johnson said he believes the coyote is an "insubordinate male" that was ostracized from its group.
He said he thinks the animal now needs to find a food source rabbits, squirrels and groundhogs in a new area.
"I believe that’s why he’s being spotted a lot during the day," Mr. Johnson said. "But growling at people walking dogs is definitely not a good thing."
For that reason, Mr. Johnson said the trapper is talking to homeowners and scouting the area and is expected to start setting traps by the end of the week.
According to Mr. Johnson, there are plenty of coyotes in the area that don’t pose any threat.
"I can probably guarantee there’s 30 to 40 of them that I’m aware of. And if there’s that many I’m aware of, there’s probably twice that many," he said. "They’ve been around for a while."
Ms. Yuhas said the state officially confirmed the presence of coyotes in 1975, but that the recent attacks have raised awareness about the animals.
She said the statewide coyote estimate is approximately 3,000.
"There’s really no way to count them," she said. "We know that they do live in every county in the state."
And while attacks are very rare, they do happen, she said, noting that coyotes can usually be scared off by making loud noises and raising one’s arms.
Although "sighting a coyote is not necessarily a problem, you should make an effort to scare them away," she said.
"The most important thing is never to feed them," she said.
She said garbage should be kept in tightly closed containers, pets should be brought in at night, and residents should avoid having bird feeders because they attract mice and other rodents that coyotes prey upon.
To further protect against the presence of coyotes, residents should keep backyard brush trimmed and install motion sensitive lighting around the house, Ms. Yuhas said.
Coyotes look like smaller German shepherds, with colors varying from blond to black, and usually hold their tails in a horizontal position.
More information on coyotes is available on the Division of Fish and Wildlife Web site at www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/coyote_info.htm.
If residents encounter a coyote exhibiting aggressive behavior, they should call their local animal control officer, the police department, or the 24-hour Division of Fish and Wildlife Hotline at 1-877-WARN-DEP.
Mr. Johnson can be reached at (609) 924-2728.

