Many visitors have left the Isle of Palms and returned to their full-time homes and the number of people on the island has dwindled somewhat with the arrival of cooler temperatures.
Local residents will be seeing fewer tourists, but they might also be encountering an increasing number of coyotes. “As we approach the fall season, the island starts to become less populated,” said IOP Animal Control Officer Ryan Warren. “With this change comes a rise in wildlife activity.
Coyotes specifically will be seen more than usual since theydo not hibernate in the colder seasons like other animals.” Warren pointed out that so far, there have been 16 coyote sightings on the island, which is fewer than last year, probably because in 2021, the IOP Police Department counted Facebook posts from people who claimed to have seen the animals.
Now the statistics include only those reported by those who call the Department. Warren said most coyote dens are in the area around 30th Avenue and that “once pups are born from these dens, they seem to relocate to the marsh.” He added that there’s been an uptick in sightings in Wild Dunes but that no dens have been confirmed on the north end of the island. He said there have been no reports of coyote sightings on the south side of IOP.
According to the animal control officer, coyotes often make their dens in shady areas such as under boardwalks. For the most part, rabbits are among their main sources of food, and they also hunt small rodents.
Residents are not permitted to shoot coyotes – because they aren’t allowed to fire a weapon within the city limits – but they can pay to hire a private trapper to get rid of one.
Warren said he’s heard of only one incident where a family pet was attacked by a coyote.
The smalldog was injured in the homeowner’s backyard last year.
According to the City of Isle of Palms Coyote Management Plan, “The city, at the sole discretion of City Council, may implement a program of lethal control when the interactions between persons and coyotes escalates to the level of incident or attack… Lethal control may be utilized when the city determines that a coyote poses an immediate danger to persons… If a person is being attacked or there is an imminent threat of attack on a person by a coyote, a police officer may act immediately to ensure public safety and remove the threat.” The plan also notes that property owners on the island “may employ lawful methods to control nuisance wildlife on their property.” Some of these methods, according to the Coyote Management Plan, include sprinklers, spotlights, strobe lights, noisemakers, fence rollers and electric fences. The Coyote Management Plan was adopted by the City Council on May 22, 2018. Anyone who sees a coyote should report the sighting to the IOP Police Department by calling 843-886-6522. If you encounter a coyote, Warren said, loud noises made by yelling or clapping your hands might scare the animal away.
“The coyotes are more scared of us than we are of them,” Warren said.