Peter Sullivan, Freshman
Recent and more frequent sightings of coyotes in Marblehead and Swampscott have begun to unnerve many residents. It seems that coyote activity in the two towns has risen, with even some unlucky people being outright attacked by the wild animals. One such example is the harrowing story of a Swampscott resident who was cornered by nine coyotes while simply taking a walk. According to an article by NBC Boston, “Swampscott police said they got a call around 9:30 p.m. from a resident who said they were walking their dog on Rockyledge Road when a large group of coyotes surrounded them and wouldn’t back down. “When police arrived, they said they saw at least nine coyotes. The coyotes were scared off by the arrival of the police cruisers and the strobe lights.”
The unnamed resident and his dog were escorted safely home by the police, but this terrifying event could have turned deadly if not for the intervention of the local authorities. But what if something like this were to happen again, and what if the local police were not able to prevent this horrible event? The fact of the matter is that these wild animals pose a threat to residents in both towns. In fact, some students HERE at Marblehead High School have had encounters with coyotes. One of the students I talked to, Sam Tanger, said that he frequently sees coyotes while walking home. Another student, Connor Dunleavy, shared that he saw coyotes while driving with his father at night. These students returned home safely, but will that always be the case? Are any of us innocents safe in our own town?
The only advice I can provide to you is to be vigilant and be careful. Don’t stay out after dark without some sort of flash light or light source, and avoid the trails at night. If you encounter a coyote, report it to animal control immediately. Even if the chances of seeing or even being attacked by coyotes are relatively low, it pays to be prepared.