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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D66BFC.49575880" alt="DEM-logo-small"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:#00457A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Gail Mastrati, DEM – 401-255-6144<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Thursday, August 6, 2020
</span><a href="mailto:gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM TO HOST VIRTUAL OUTREACH PROGRAM ON COYOTES ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 21<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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Description automatically generated" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">PROVIDENCE
– The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Division of Fish and Wildlife is partnering with the Woonsocket Harris Public Library to host a virtual, family-friendly program about coyotes on Friday, August 21 at 1:30 p.m. Attendees will learn about the
Eastern coyote’s natural history, as well as tips on how to coexist coyotes. Participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at the current research being conducted by the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study in partnership with DEM Fish and Wildlife and discover
how humans affect trends in coyote populations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">The program will be led by DEM Wildlife Outreach team members Mary Gannon and Gabrielle De Meillon, who will be joined by Dr. Numi Mitchell and Kyle Hess of the Narragansett Bay Coyote
Study. Mitchell will share some recent results from coyote tracking research in Rhode Island. Hess will join the program from the field, where he will show a typical field site and explain the methods of trapping and releasing coyotes for research.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">“This is a wonderful opportunity for Rhode Islanders to learn about coyotes and the interesting research that is happening right in our own backyards,” said Gannon. “It’s been very different
this year, not being able to run programs in person due to COVID-19 restrictions. I hope that by offering virtual programs, we can reach a lot of Rhode Islanders, and still share information about local wildlife conservation in a fun way!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">The Narragansett Bay Coyote Study began in 2004, focusing on territory use of suburban coyotes on Conanicut and Aquidneck Islands. The study has since grown through a partnership with
the DEM Division of Fish and Wildlife; Mitchell and Hess are now tracking coyotes in rural and suburban areas across Rhode Island. By focusing on coyote territory size and food resource use, this study has identified that many coyote packs utilize food in
heavily developed areas, and that those food resources can be linked back to human activities. One main goal of this study is to educate the public about how changing our own behaviors can help control coyote populations and reduce human-coyote interactions.
To learn more about this project, visit </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.coyotesmarts.org&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=N1EQLbcyY_uiMVwU1Sl6RMZWk3IT9ypBgJk5r1TgEBQ&s=1cnYymiJqzmDEHAlgrINhFuu4UqcI9-fuHT6N5Lea2Y&e="><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.coyotesmarts.org</span> [coyotesmarts.org]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">This research partnership has been made possible by funding through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, a Federal Aid program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Funding from hunting licenses, permits, and excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment is allocated each year to DEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife to fund wildlife research, monitoring, habitat acquisition and restoration, wildlife outreach
programs, and aquatic resource and hunter education courses. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">The August 21 program is free, but registration is required to receive a link to access the program via Zoom. To register, call the Woonsocket Harris Public Library at 401-764-9044, email
</span><a href="mailto:cgoldstein@woonsocketlibrary.org"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">cgoldstein@woonsocketlibrary.org</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">,
</span></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">or click </span>
<a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__forms.gle_py1zmezNbyXeA9mn8&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=N1EQLbcyY_uiMVwU1Sl6RMZWk3IT9ypBgJk5r1TgEBQ&s=MnPqzb05O7kfkMNnmDWxqaASQ5CnWUeSIL09SJB98xw&e="><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">here</span> [forms.gle]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on coyotes, visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. Follow us on Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_RhodeIslandDEM&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=N1EQLbcyY_uiMVwU1Sl6RMZWk3IT9ypBgJk5r1TgEBQ&s=kBfn9bMKZKj0pdVgmds5o2QhP1F2b10mBhz6H_4gmVg&e="><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">, on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), and Instagram (@RI.FishandWildlife)
for timely updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. Follow us on Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_RhodeIslandDEM&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=N1EQLbcyY_uiMVwU1Sl6RMZWk3IT9ypBgJk5r1TgEBQ&s=kBfn9bMKZKj0pdVgmds5o2QhP1F2b10mBhz6H_4gmVg&e=" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for
timely updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">-30-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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