HUNTSVILLE, Alabama _ At 38,000 acres and with a good chunk of it undisturbed land that includes portions of the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Huntsville's Redstone Arsenal is teeming with wildlife. The refuge land was "annexed" into the arsenal in the early 1940s for reasons of national security.
Its alligator and deer populations have proliferated from time to time.
Now, coyotes seem to be on the upswing. So much so that the Army is taking steps to reduce them.
Times staff writer Deborah Storey wrote about the control effort in Sunday's Times (view it online at al.com).
Arsenal officials issued a statement saying control measures haven't kept up with the coyotes' population growth and that the arsenal simply can't sustain that many. Decatur launched a similar eradication effort recently because of the number of coyote attacks on pets.
Coyote sightings have been reported in Huntsville over the last several years as subdivisions encroach on their habitats. Just last Wednesday evening, this Times editorial writer witnessed a coyote trotting across Zeirdt Road from the arsenal boundary into the densely populated Edgewater subdivision.
More area coyote encounters should not be surprising given the building boom on the arsenal and growth in the Huntsville-Madison-Decatur area.
Killing or relocating such animals are regrettable but often necessary steps in urban areas.
As cities sprawl, they must find ways to help people and wild animals co-exist. That sometimes means getting rid of a health and safety threat. Young children who can't distinguish coyotes from a friendly dog are particularly at risk of coyotes in their neighborhoods.
Coyotes are people shy. Increased exposure to humans may be breaking down some of that shyness, especially if the animals learn to associate people with food.
Homeowners in critter-heavy areas can unwittingly reduce wild animals' fear of people by leaving birdseed, pet dishes - and pets themselves - out in the evening. Unclean grills and poorly washed food containers in recycling bins are also avoidable temptations.
Ignoring the problem can invite trouble. Citizens who are upset about coyotes along the greenways or in their backyards may try to shoot them or poison them. That kind of vigilantism could endanger pets and anyone caught in the path of a stray bullet.
State conservation records show coyotes were released by hunters in parts of Alabama in the 1920s but officials attribute the concentration to a migration from the West that has continued for decades. The fact that they have no natural predators and are opportunistic feeders (they savor rodents, garbage, pet food, squirrels and rabbits, small cats and dogs) adds to their abundance.
We all should appreciate nature and do what we can to protect our wildlife. It's not realistic for animal control in a city the size of Huntsville (210 square miles) to respond to every coyote sighting. But action must be taken in areas where wild animals are attacking pets and getting too close for comfort.
By John Peck for the editorial board. Email: email@example.com