Coyote Awareness

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Coyote Awareness

• City of Yorba Linda
• September 1, 2009

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Coyote Awareness

• Coyotes were once found mostly in the Southwest
• Now live in every state except Hawaii
• Reasons for their expansion
• 19th century killing of wolves
• Shrinking natural landscape
• Highly adaptable, resilient
• and prolific

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Coyote Awareness

• Coyotes are Omnivorous
• They eat everything!
• Rodents
• Birds
• Rabbits
• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Bird Seed
• Insects/grasshoppers
• Garbage food scraps
• Pet Food

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Coyote Awareness

• Interaction with Humans
• Aggression/attacks towards humans is extremely
  rare
• University of California study
• 1988-1997 in Southern California
• 53 attacks on humans (21 with injuries)
• Human behavior contributes to attacks
• Interactions are directly related to food
• Coyotes are wary of humans and avoid contact
  whenever possible

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Seven Steps of Progression

• UC Davis Professor (2007)
• Increase in coyotes on streets
• Increase in coyotes approaching humans and/or
  taking pets at night
• Coyotes on streets, and in parks and yards in
  early morning/ late afternoon
• Coyotes chasing or taking pets in the daytime

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Seven Steps of Progression, cont

• UC Davis Study
• Coyotes attacking and taking pets on leashes
  nears their owners chasing joggers, bicyclists,
  and other adults
• Coyotes seen in and around childrens play areas,
  school grounds, and parks in mid-day
• Coyotes acting aggressively toward adults in
  midday

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Coyote Awareness

• Attempts to Eradicate/Reduce Population
• Reproduction is directly linked to population
• Larger litters are born when population declines
• Other packs will move into vacated territory
• Rodent population significantly increases

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Coyote Awareness

• Coyotes are in your neighbor because they have
  found
• food or shelter

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Coyote Awareness

• Coexisting with Coyotes
• Clean Grills
• Pick up all fallen fruit
• Clean up spilled seed from bird feeders
• Clean trash cans ammonia
• No pet food
• No water

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Coyote Awareness

• Coexisting with Coyotes
• Cover compost piles
• Add motion sensitive lighting
• Install coyote proof fencing
• Keep cats and small dogs indoors
• Under supervision when outside
• Spay/Neuter dogs

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Coyote Awareness

• Coexisting with Coyotes
• Trim all shrubs to remove possible dens
• Close all crawl spaces
• Remove abandoned sheds
• Enclose all decking

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Coyote Awareness

• What to do when you spot a coyote at home
• Immediately take small pets and children inside
• Make very loud noises
• Bang together two pots or pieces of wood
• Spray with full pressure garden hose

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Coyote Awareness

• What to do when you spot a coyote in the
  neighborhood
• Carry a walking stick make noise with stick
• Carry a whistle blow whistle

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Coyote Awareness

• Legal Jurisdiction
• Department of Fish and Game Code Section 1802
  states that the department of Fish and Game has
  jurisdiction over the conversation, protection
  and management of wildlife.
• California Code of Regulations section 679 (f)
  (4) states in part that any healthy wildlife
  trapped in towns or cities shall be released in
  the immediate area where it was trapped.

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Coyote Awareness

• Orange County Animal Care Services

• Education
• Assist with unusual circumstances
• Injured wildlife

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• Thank you for the opportunity to provide you
  information on Coyote Awareness
• Questions?