Routines change for those living near coyotes BY JOHN SUTTON Correspondent Middletown has asked residents to tie colorful bandannas around their pets' necks to distinguish them from the coyotes. This photo of the eastern coyote and links to more information about their behaviors and habits can be found on Middletown's Web site, www.middletownnj.org. MIDDLETOWN - For the past few weeks, residents of the northern area of the township have had to cope with a presence in their neighborhood which they neither expected nor welcomed when it arrived. The recent string of coyote attacks on pets and two children in the vicinity of Naval Weapons Station Earle has sparked a level of tension in the area, and is something which residents feel they must be cautious about at all times. With coyotes being spotted on a frequent basis, residents are finding they have needed to slightly alter their lives to deal with this new and dangerous problem. One place where these coyotes have been spotted frequently is Evergreen Park, located off Lone Oak Road. Residents interviewed there and in the neighborhood believe that the coyotes are living in the wooded area around the park. Fran Crespi, who lives across the street from Evergreen Park, said that she has seen a coyote on four different occasions. Each time, she has called the Middletown police to inform them of the situation. The initial reaction to the coyote sightings has worn off. However, it is still something which makes Crespi uneasy. "The fact that I can see them on my front porch makes me a little nervous," Crespi said. Some residents said they have seen a coyote with a small rabbit in its mouth as it walked through their property. Shadia Ahearn, who also lives near Evergreen Park and has 6- and 4-year-old children, said that she never leaves the children unattended and that they are not allowed out of the house after dark because of the presence of the coyotes. "I'm not going to stop living my life," Ahearn said. "It has altered our lives a little, but mainly, I just keep the kids indoors." Township resident Joann Eccles said that she feels discomfort when walking around her own neighborhood because of the coyotes. She always checks the area when getting out of her car at night and keeps a stick on her front porch at all times. Eccles said that she feels like she is "tip-toeing" around her own neighborhood. As residents have grown accustomed to the thought of coyotes sharing their neighborhood, some have begun to take a lighter approach to the issue, joking about their coyote problem. Taylor Guthrie, who recently spotted a coyote around Evergreen Park, sees the paradox and humor of the situation. "It's kind of weird that we live in suburbia and we have to watch when we get out of our cars to see if there is a coyote there," Guthrie said. "At this point, it is turning into a running joke. People say, 'Let's go coyote hunting.'" In the end, however, the coyotes are something which residents do not take lightly. Eccles said it is a hassle which she never expected to deal with, and because of that, she is not ready for it. "This is not an environment that they normally would be in," Eccles said. "We're not used to it, and nobody is equipped to handle such a thing." The township has asked that residents who own pets that look similar to coyotes such as huskies, German shepherds and malamutes, tie a colorful bandanna around the dogs' necks so they are easily identifiable as pets. This suggestion is meant to help the police distinguish between pets and a possible coyote as they patrol the township. It may also help reduce the number of members of the public who may see a pet and call the police to report it as a coyote, according to township officials. Residents are urged to call police at (732) 615-2100 immediately to report any coyote sightings.