Coyote encounters across Westchester are intensifying, with Scarsdale issuing a safety advisory and animals approaching children near school athletic fields in neighboring Irvington.
The incidents add to a pattern of aggressive coyote behavior that has already hit close to home. On March 9, a rabid coyote attacked six dogs and three people near Siwanoy Country Club and Twin Lakes Park in the Eastchester and Bronxville area, according to the Westchester County Department of Health. Eastchester Police killed that animal, which later tested positive for rabies.
Now the threat is active again in communities just miles away.
On Saturday, Sept. 26, coyotes approached children and an adult near the Irvington Middle/High School athletic fields, according to Irvington Mayor Arlene Burgos.
She announced Sunday, Sept. 27, that she asked Police Chief Francis Pignatelli to formally contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for guidance and assistance, as first reported by Daily Voice.
"I understand how frightening these encounters have been for the families who experienced them, and I want residents to know that the Village is taking these reports seriously," Burgos wrote.
Burgos did not detail what happened during the Sept. 26 encounters. She said repeated incidents in which coyotes approach or pursue people call for a "serious and coordinated response." Irvington officials have not confirmed that any coyote involved is rabid.
The village plans to coordinate with the Irvington School District to assess activity around school grounds and athletic facilities. Officials are also exploring partnerships with neighboring communities, including Hastings-on-Hudson.
The Irvington encounters came after a coyote bit a 57-year-old woman on the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 23, near Elm Place and the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail in Hastings-on-Hudson, according to News 12 Westchester. The woman took herself to a hospital and began preventive rabies treatment.
The Westchester County Department of Health described the Hastings-on-Hudson coyote as "large, aggressive" and possibly rabid. As of Sunday, Sept. 27, the animal remained at large. Hastings and Dobbs Ferry police, along with Greenburgh animal control officers, have been searching for it and consulting with DEC police.
Scarsdale issued its own advisory on Friday, Sept. 25, urging residents to take precautions even though the reported activity had occurred outside village borders.
Irvington has dealt with escalating coyote behavior since at least June, when Burgos issued a community advisory after a dog was attacked and residents reported increasingly bold sightings. The DEC advised at that time that hiring a trapper would likely be ineffective and recommended continued monitoring, lohud reported.
The village's current plan includes documenting recent incidents, seeking DEC assistance, coordinating with police and the school district, and considering additional measures for coyotes that may have grown accustomed to people.
Anyone who encounters a coyote that approaches, acts aggressively or refuses to retreat should get to a safe location and contact Irvington Police. Those in immediate danger should call 911. Animal bites or contact with suspected rabid animals should be reported to the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000. The rabies infoline is (914) 813-5010, and the NYSDEC Wildlife Office can be reached at 845-256-3098.
