Charleston Neighbors Seek Friendly Ways to Handle Coyotes

In the Wagener Terrace community of Charleston, South Carolina, residents are pushing for a new way to deal with coyotes. They want a plan that teaches people how to stay safe, keeps the coyotes away, and doesn't harm them. This comes after neighbors saw more coyotes around since August. Some even caught them on security cameras. Petar Lemajic, the neighborhood president, says people are worried and want action fast. But the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources says it's up to the neighborhood to figure out a solution. They can't do it all due to limited resources. Over 40 neighbors met to talk about this and vote on a plan. They want to follow the example set by Sullivans Island. They don't want to kill the coyotes; they want to learn to live with them peacefully. The plan involves teaching people how to stay safe, working with wildlife experts, and using tricks like noisemakers to scare the coyotes away. They only want to consider killing a coyote if it's a real danger to people. The Department of Natural Resources says coyotes usually avoid people and only attack if they're fed or get used to being around us. The plan has been sent to Councilmember William Dudley Gregorie for review.