Fort Myers neighborhood on alert after recent coyote sighting

Sightings of coyotes roaming around communities along McGregor Boulevard are leaving residents on high alert.

“I saw a coyote over there, across the field, a couple of times,” said neighbor Bobby Maury. “It’s a pretty good size coyote, about 80 pounds.”

Last week, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed they picked up a dead coyote near Jefferson Park.

“He was thin, a little ratter looking,” Maury said. “A coyote for sure.”

FWC wants to remind southwest Florida residents that coyotes have been spotted in all 67 Florida counties.

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“The FWC does not require the public to report coyote sightings, but do encourage the public to call your local FWC office if you are experiencing coyote problems,” FWC wrote in an email.

Neighbors along McGregor Boulevard say they are taking precautions with coyotes so close to home.

“We have two smaller dogs, a little big, that’s what they go for,” Maury said. “Keep your animals on a leash and keep them close. That’s what I’d say to anybody.”

FWC says it is important to keep pets close, but coyotes are also helpful to the community because they help control the population of rodents and small predators, like opossums and raccoons, in the area.

For more information about coyotes click here.