Fred Croce has seen "glowing, greenish-yellow eyes" stare him down while walking his pup in Ormond-by-the-Sea, then vanish as stealthily as they appeared.
"It's unnerving, in a way. It's just eerie," Croce said of seeing the coyote eyes in the dark near his beachside home. "You look away and then all of a sudden they're gone — they're like magical creatures."
He said he never saw them before last November and at first was kind of mesmerized by the wild animals' appearance, asking, "How did they get here on this side of the bridge, you know?"
Now he said he sees them fairly frequently, and it seems coyotes are on the prowl up and down coastal Volusia County, swiping pets and feral cats along their path and prompting the state wildlife agency to hold an info session for the public later this week.
According to city staff and leaders, residents have been seeing an increase in coyotes throughout the urban landscape lately and wildlife officials hope to help them learn how to live with the creatures.
"Coyotes in the New Smyrna Beach city limits have been seen more frequently," New Smyrna Beach animal control officer Megan Wilk said in a statement, adding that the highest rate of sightings are during dusk and dawn hours, since coyotes are nocturnal. "Most sightings have been in the areas of south beach district, beachside, and near the airport off US 1 on mainland, and near the golf course."
On Thursday the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will be hosting a public workshop. According to a city press release, state officials will be at the meeting to explain ways to co-exist, since relocating or eradicating coyotes is not an option, according to the agency's website.
"New coyotes move into areas where others have been removed," the website states. "When there is pressure (such as trapping) placed on coyote populations, the species can actually produce more pups per litter in response."
The meeting will be held at the Coronado Civic Center, 223 Flagler Ave., at 6 p.m.
Commissioner Jake Sachs said at a recent commission meeting that residents in his territory have been voicing worry about walking on trails, while a recent city document states airport officials have concern about the creatures getting onto airport property. In Port Orange and Ormond Beach, there have been reports of pets disappearing, and the agency says Volusia's not alone.
"We’re experiencing this same issue throughout the whole state," said Greg Workman, spokesperson for the wildlife agency, who said the meetings are hosted periodically as communities need them. "We had one last year in Ormond Beach. We’ve also had them in Orlando, Ocala, and most counties in Central Florida."
Just like with other wildlife, coyotes are attracted by food left outdoors, so the number one recommendation from the agency is that residents clean up pet food, fallen fruit and seed around bird feeders and make sure yards, garbage cans and compost bins are made animal-proof so that coyotes won't be enticed and gradually lose a natural fear of humans.
That advice poses a challenge to those who care for feral cats in neighborhoods, with some colony caretakers reporting colonies have been attacked by coyotes.
"The balance with feeding pets outside is a difficult one because the number one attractant for coyote as well as bears is a food source," Workman said.
Croce said after the first sightings, he wanted to learn all he could about the animals and has made sure to teach his 6-year-old grandchild to yell and scream but stand firm to scare the animals away.
"They're bold," he said. "But they don't bother you, really."
For more information about coyotes, go to myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/coyotes/ or contact the FFWCC regional office in Ocala at 352-732-1225.