Coyotes are not welcome residents
A lethal combination of coyote sightings and missing pets has led a number of residents to express concerns to city officials and suggest several methods to resolve the situation.
According to a report prepared by city management assistant Lauren Cochran, the City Council has received letters and e-mails about the problem. She noted, “After living in such close proximity to humans for so long, coyotes have little fear of man….”
Coyotes are “frequently seen within a few feet of joggers, bikers and horseback riders,” Cochran reported. “While not normally a danger to human beings, coyotes will display defensive behaviors if threatened or cornered.”
After hearing Cochran’s report and public comments at a recent meeting, council called for an education program on the city Web site and in the quarterly newsletter, with an e-mail address logged into a database for residents to contact regarding sightings.
A report on the education program’s effectiveness is due back at an April meeting, and a motion “to do some type of coyote trapping every three months in three or four areas of the city and that they be moved into another area” was withdrawn by maker Jan Horton.
Other ideas heard by council members included putting out bait “soaked with some sort of birth control,” phone hotlines and patrols to report sightings, fencing and eradication.
“There are those in the community that feel it would be best to destroy any coyotes that kill small animals in order to survive, particularly those small animals that are pets,” Cochran stated in her report, but she noted “this is not a permanent solution.”
She explained, “Once a coyote pack senses the depletion of its population, one of two things can happen: the other coyotes in the vicinity will take over the destroyed coyote’s territory or the coyote population can actually increase.”
Orange County Animal Control “will only destroy a coyote if it is sick or injured” and the California Department of Fish and Game “will only euthanize a coyote once it has behaved ‘aggressively’ towards humans,” Cochran noted.
“Relocating coyotes is also not a viable option because it can cause…issues for residents in other cities or counties,” Cochran stated. She also presented proposals from an animal pest management firm.
The Chino-based company would send a “capture specialist” to trap coyotes for 10 days in one area for $2,500 per month or two to four areas for $3,500 monthly. The specialist would check snares placed in locations with coyote activity daily.
Snares are of the humane foot-snare type approved the state fish and game department, which will not injure legs or other parts of animals, according to the company proposal.
According to a report prepared by city management assistant Lauren Cochran, the City Council has received letters and e-mails about the problem. She noted, “After living in such close proximity to humans for so long, coyotes have little fear of man….”
Coyotes are “frequently seen within a few feet of joggers, bikers and horseback riders,” Cochran reported. “While not normally a danger to human beings, coyotes will display defensive behaviors if threatened or cornered.”
After hearing Cochran’s report and public comments at a recent meeting, council called for an education program on the city Web site and in the quarterly newsletter, with an e-mail address logged into a database for residents to contact regarding sightings.
A report on the education program’s effectiveness is due back at an April meeting, and a motion “to do some type of coyote trapping every three months in three or four areas of the city and that they be moved into another area” was withdrawn by maker Jan Horton.
Other ideas heard by council members included putting out bait “soaked with some sort of birth control,” phone hotlines and patrols to report sightings, fencing and eradication.
“There are those in the community that feel it would be best to destroy any coyotes that kill small animals in order to survive, particularly those small animals that are pets,” Cochran stated in her report, but she noted “this is not a permanent solution.”
She explained, “Once a coyote pack senses the depletion of its population, one of two things can happen: the other coyotes in the vicinity will take over the destroyed coyote’s territory or the coyote population can actually increase.”
Orange County Animal Control “will only destroy a coyote if it is sick or injured” and the California Department of Fish and Game “will only euthanize a coyote once it has behaved ‘aggressively’ towards humans,” Cochran noted.
“Relocating coyotes is also not a viable option because it can cause…issues for residents in other cities or counties,” Cochran stated. She also presented proposals from an animal pest management firm.
The Chino-based company would send a “capture specialist” to trap coyotes for 10 days in one area for $2,500 per month or two to four areas for $3,500 monthly. The specialist would check snares placed in locations with coyote activity daily.
Snares are of the humane foot-snare type approved the state fish and game department, which will not injure legs or other parts of animals, according to the company proposal.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 PM
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