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Ross Twp. Neighbors Worried Over Coyote Sightings

ROSS TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- Some residents in the North Hills are on edge over a growing coyote problem in their community.

The animals have taken up residence on a valley that sits between a heavily populated neighborhood and Ross Park Mall.

Howling has become a familiar sound late at night in the Kinvarra and White Oaks Heights neighborhoods in Ross Township.

"It is unnerving at night and loud enough that my husband could hear it through his ear plugs," said Marian Jo Brady, a Ross Township resident.

The coyote have found a haven in the green space that serves as a buffer between Ross Park Mall and the neighborhoods. People walk through there all the time.

"Who would think that there's a coyote in North Hills? This close to Ross Park Mall, with this many people around?" said Kristen Pollaro, another Ross Township resident.

The Pollaro family got quite a scare on a recent Sunday morning. They were watching the deer out of their back window, as they often do, when all of a sudden, the deer scattered.

"They ran so quickly up that hill, and the coyote ripped up the hill towards them. I've never seen anything like it," said Kristen.

Coyote eat dogs, deer, turkey, mice and other creatures. They don't usually go after humans; even so, the Pollaros are worried.

"I'm concerned. Am I going to be able to let the kids back there and be able to play? As of right now, I don't know," said Vince Pollaro. "I'm going to be pretty worked up about it."

By the way, Vince says he doesn't consider this a coyote problem, he says it's a deer problem.

"The concern that I have is that the number of deer we have in this area are bringing the coyotes. Removing the coyotes, they'll eventually come back unless we take care of the deer," he said.

No one is advocating shooting the coyote; they're too close to homes for shooting. But many suggest capturing and relocating the coyote.

That's one of the suggestions people will make Monday night during a meeting with Ross Township commissioners.

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