A female coyote has been captured by professional trappers and another has been found dead in Estero.

Coyotes have been roaming through gated communities in Estero this year, attacking and killing small dogs being walked by their owners.

Three small dogs were killed by coyotes in the area from March 6 through May 18.

During the past weekend, a female coyote was caught in a trap by Critter Control, a professional trapping business hired by property owner associations to catch the animals, said Joanne Adams, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

She said the female coyote was captured in the Lighthouse Bay gated community. A small dog was killed by coyotes in Lighthouse Bay last month.

Meanwhile, a dead coyote was reported Monday in the area of Hollow Pines Drive in the nearby Shadow Wood gated community, Adams said. A small dog was killed by coyotes in Shadow Wood last month.

Adams said that the coyote had apparently been dead for a few days and was found near a preserve area.

Although two coyotes have now been eliminated, residents should not let their guard down because there may be others in the area, Adams said.

She said pet owners should still take precautions, such as not walking their dogs at night, walking their dogs on short leashes and carrying walking sticks to fend off and scare any coyotes they may encounter.
 

Credits: news-press.com