Fear of coyotes to be studied in Alberta foothills
U of C researcher examining attitudes in hopes of better co-existence
We are far more afraid of coyotes than we ought to be, according to one University of Calgary professor.
Shelley Alexander has found that urbanites have a fear of the animals that is far out of proportion to the actual rate of attacks on humans — less than three per year on average over 12 years — and now she wants to see how rural communities compare.
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She's currently studying attitudes towards coyotes in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains by conducting interviews with residents.
"It won't be an urban-rural kind of split. I think there is a lot of diversity in each community and that's what I'm looking at capturing — a broader understanding of how people relate to coyotes — and I think there will be a lot of surprises that emerge through the interviews," said Alexander.
She's hoping to change attitudes and find ways for humans and coyotes to co-exist.
Anyone wanting to participate in the study can contact Alexander through the U of C, or online at the Foothills Coyote Initiative.