The arrival of fall often means an increase in coyote sightings, and Pleasantville will host an informational session on how to co-exist with the animals later this month.

The session will be held on Oct. 30, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Clinton Street Center. The guest speaker will be Dana Goin, Wildlife Outreach Specialist at the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem.

“The main reason for the coyote informational is preventative. Last year, we had a rash of sightings, many of which were in the neighborhoods around the Pace campus,” Police Chief Erik Grutzner said. “Residents were concerned, and so the Village and the Town of Mount Pleasant undertook a campaign to educate people and mitigate the danger that coyotes might pose.”

Goin said her presentation will cover the history and ecology of eastern coyotes, as well as proven co-existence techniques.

“We [will] discuss why coyotes are such a vital member of the ecosystem and why it is so important we allow them to share the landscape,” Goin said. “We’ll fully outline appropriate hazing methods, which have been shown to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, and why certain management methods have been proven ineffective.”

Some of the hazing techniques, Goin mentioned, include yelling and waving your arms, and carrying a walking cane, air horn, or even just a soda can with coins in it, so that it can be shaken at the coyote.

“Wild animals tend to be quite skittish, so startling them with these techniques is often the most effective means to maintain that natural and necessary fear of humans,” she said. 

Village Trustee Nicole Asquith said the session is important for addressing a misconception about coyotes.

“In reality, coyotes pose little threat, unless [they’re] rabid,” she said. “By providing education on a regular basis, people can understand how these animals actually are and how to handle them.”

Goin agreed that misconceptions are common. When residents are equipped “with facts rather than myths and misunderstanding, they’ll feel more confident enjoying the outdoors and feel empowered by knowing how to assess and interpret encounters with wildlife,” she said.