provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The first confirmed sighting of a coyote on Sanibel was in the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in March 2011. Since then, the City of Sanibel Natural Resources Department and its partners at the J.N. “Ding” Darling Refuge, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), and the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) have been striving to monitor and better understand the coyote population on Sanibel.
Working collaboratively as the Sanibel Coyote Working Group (CWG) since 2014, scientists have been closely monitoring the impact of coyotes on nesting loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtle nests. As a federally designated threatened species, loggerheads are protected under the Federal Loggerhead Recovery Plan.
“The plan is an assessment of the population status and identifies major threats in need of management to achieve population recovery,” explains Jack Brzoza, SCCF sea turtle biologist. “Nest predation is identified as a threat, and recovery objectives are to minimize nest predation, keeping rates below 10 percent.”
SCCF biologists who track the coyote depredation rate on sea turtle nests on Sanibel find that it has been increasing since 2021 and has exceeded 10 percent for the last four years.
“In the last two out of three years, the rate has exceeded 40 percent,” says Brzoza. “Those rates are four times what is acceptable under the recovery plan.”
Protecting Nests from Depredation
To try to avoid the need for lethal intervention, SCCF has tried many different measures of nest protection, many of which are not commonly seen elsewhere on Florida’s nesting beaches.
Such protection measures have included standard, FWC-approved nest treatments, such as self-releasing screens and self-releasing cages, as well as novel treatments, such as habanero pepper and auditory deterrents, authorized for use on account of the island’s unique and significant depredation issue. Screens are twice as thick as the originals, and rebar-anchoring stakes to fortify screens and cages have also been incorporated.
“Even cages, considered the most effective treatment, have been breached by coyotes at increasing rates,” says Brzoza. “Each year from 2023-2025, we have increased the percentage of nests that have been caged, and each year the rate at which coyotes breached caged nests has increased; in 2025, the rate of depredation on caged nests alone rose above 10 percent.”
SCCF scientists have exhausted the approved, non-lethal methods for nest protection that are standard practice and have data demonstrating their inadequate effectiveness.
“The only strategy left that is used on other nesting beaches and has been proven to reduce depredation rates is targeted lethal removal,” he explains.
Why the Coyote Working Group is Proposing Targeted Lethal Removal
At the Feb. 3 Sanibel City Council meeting, Brzoza will present SCCF’s data on sea turtle nest depredation and the numerous strategies used to date to reduce the rate. During this meeting, SCCF, City of Sanibel Natural Resources Department, and J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, on behalf of the Sanibel Coyote Working Group (CWG), will propose the implementation of a targeted lethal removal program in 2026 to reduce the depredation rate.
CROW, as a member of the CWG, joins in the distress of our partners and the public regarding the loss of sea turtle eggs and hatchlings from coyote depredation on the islands and issues this statement:
“We appreciate the ongoing communication and exploration of alternative strategies by our partners; however, as a wildlife hospital whose mission is saving wildlife, we must abstain from the targeted lethal removal discussion, which will be presented to the City Council. That said, please continue to count on us for research, education, and outreach as we work together to educate the residents and businesses on Sanibel and Captiva and beyond on community-based and prevention initiatives.”
The group’s proposal comes at a critical time to protect loggerhead sustainability.
“This difficult decision is data-driven, based upon our data showing that none of the viable, non-lethal measurements have been effective in reducing the depredation rate, the depredation rate has increased to match increased caging efforts, and targeted lethal removal has been effective at reducing the depredation rate on other nesting beaches in Florida,” says Brzoza.
The proposed program WOULD:
• Only occurs on a small stretch of Sanibel where sections of beach experienced depredation rates over 80%
• Only remove coyotes on the beach showing evidence of nest depredation behavior
• Only be conducted by trained US Department of Agriculture wildlife professionals
The program WOULD NOT:
• Attempt to reduce the entire coyote population
• Target coyotes not seen on the beach
• Occur outside the designated area of the beach
In his presentation, Brzoza will provide data showing that more sea turtle eggs were lost to coyote depredation than to storms over the past four years. He will also speak about the potential impacts such losses can have on the future population.
“Our obligation to sea turtle conservation requires us to take action to protect sea turtles and work towards population recovery. If depredation rates as high as we are experiencing on our islands continue, in as little as five to ten years, we could be looking at the loss of hundreds of reproductive adults, moving us in the opposite direction of recovery,” he said.
The group recognizes this is a challenging issue and remains sensitive to the public’s concerns and perspectives. Public safety regarding coyotes is a separate matter handled by the City. Please click here for more information.
The CWG encourages islanders to attend and or watch the City Council meeting to hear the full presentation. The meeting is on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 9 a.m. at City Hall or available for online viewing here. Public comment will be taken during the meeting or may be provided in advance by emailing scotty.kelly@mysanibel.com. Click here for the agenda.
Leave a Comment