I watched as this coyote made its rounds and ended up on a high ledge to watch. Another large field trip of kids was coming into the park. As the coyote watched, it gave off barely audible grunts and narrowed its eyes. It was not happy with the situation — with all the noise and activity. The parks serves as a coyote’s territory and they like it calm.
In another park a coyote actually went to the periphery of a day camp where there was a lot of noise and commotion. Here the coyote began a barking session. The camp director was able to shoo the coyote off easily by walking towards the coyote and tossing stones. Coyotes do not want to be approached by humans. But it is important to know that noise and commotion can be upsetting to a coyote who considers a park its territory, and that it may react to this commotion as an intrusion, in the same way it does when it has been intruded upon by a dog: by engaging in a loud and often long barking session. The barking serves as an announcement of its presence — maybe its ownership of the territory –and an announcement of its being upset.