Coyotes spotted in Nassau County

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A camera captured coyotes in a neighborhood of Roslyn, Long Island, July 10, 2018. (Nassau County SPCA)

Coyotes were the topic of conversation in a normally quiet neighborhood of Roslyn, Long Island, on Tuesday. A pair was caught on camera near Green and Reed Drive on July 10.

Nassau County SPCA board president Gary Rogers said the sightings were credible. Coyotes are naturally afraid of people, he said, so if you're confronted, don't panic and call 911 right away.

"They're living up here. It appears to be a pair—a male and female," Rogers said. "It's a highly residential area so people have to really be careful, especially of their smaller pets."

Experts say if there are two, there are probably more. Investigators are looking into a possible den in a wooded area behind Herricks High School.

Some residents we spoke to said feral cats around the area may also be contributing to the problem.  

"They're going to go to where the food is," Roslyn resident Frank Semar said. "So we ought to just eliminate that source."

Frank Vincenti, the founder of the Wild Dog Foundation, said it is only a matter of time until coyotes make their way here for good.

"Whether they're swimming narrow waterways or coming over bridges that are not very congested, there's a myriad of ways they can get here," Vincenti said.

Officials remind residents to watch their pets, especially at night, and make sure garbage cans are properly closed.

RESOURCES

Nassau SPCA Coyote Safety

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