Wildwood officials are warning people not to feed coyotes as residents report a spike in sightings across the Jersey Shore community ahead of Labor Day weekend. Adults and pups have been spotted in empty areas around the Wildwoods and roaming through yards and streets. “They seem to be multi plying,” Wildwood resident Stu Dorfman said. Another resident, Les Bowe, said he has seen groups of the animals regularly. “I counted up to 13, but lately I’ve been counting up to seven and eight of them every day out here,” Bowe said. Coyotes have been on the barrier island for years, but residents say sightings appear to have increased in recent weeks. “This morning they were here again,” Wildwood homeowner Trish Brown said. Dorfman described one encounter while he was walking down the street. “We were walking down the street one day and one of them was eyeballing us, and he started walking towards us, and that was a little scary,” Dorfman said. Bowe believes people feeding the animals is contributing to the problem. “People have been feeding them and they shouldn’t be feeding them. That’s why they keep coming back,” Bowe said. Ahead of Labor Day weekend, Wildwood police are warning that feeding coyotes and other wildlife is illegal. Violators could face fines of up to $500. Wildwood officials said the city is working on the coyote situation with New Jersey Fish and Wildlife, other wildlife professionals and animal control. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says coyotes are highly resilient and adapt easily to changing habitats. Brown said she is concerned about the coyotes, particularly around dogs. “They look like they’re sick. I’m afraid of that with the dogs, but they don’t seem like they want to hurt anybody,” Brown said. Dorfman acknowledged that development in the area could be affecting where the coyotes live. “I understand that this was maybe where they hung out, but this area is being developed and yeah, boo-hoo, but, you know, that’s the way it goes,” Dorfman said. Brown said she hopes something can be done for the animals. “I would like to see them get help, yes, for sure,” Brown said. Officials say providing food for coyotes can make them more comfortable in populated areas. With Labor Day weekend approaching, they are urging people to stop feeding the animals. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less