Resident Concerns About Coyote Trap Use in Residential Area in Town of St. James | News, Sports, Jobs

For the publisher:

I am writing to express my concern about the recent (December) introduction of snare traps – presumably targeting coyotes – into our neighborhood of St. James City by one of our fellow citizens.

Snares present a potential danger not only to children, but also to domestic animals as well as to threatened or protected federally / Florida designated birds such as bald eagles, wood storks and roseate spoonbills. and other birds frequenting the area. Some may say that coyotes pose the same threats, however, humans should know better, where coyotes cannot be held at the same level.

I have contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regarding the legality of setting such traps in a residential area, however, my goal here is not to discuss the legality, but rather the desirability – or the inappropriateness of doing so.

My task is simple – please don’t set traps in our neighborhood. While I would prefer the responsible party to learn to coexist with the coyotes, I realize that he has a right to disagree. I would ask them to do this in a respectful manner – and that does not include the selfish act of setting potentially dangerous traps in our neighborhood.

Concerning,

Jennifer M. Firlings

City of Saint-James