A panel of experts advocated “hazing” or harassment of coyotes as a way to teach the animals that they should avoid humans at this week’s Coyote Awareness meeting in Seal Beach.
A California Department of Fish and Game representative also proposed a program similar to neighborhood watch.
Seal Beach Police Lt. Bob Mullins led the Monday night, Nov. 4, meeting as experts representing the California Department of Fish and Game, the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach and Long Beach Animal Care Services Bureau each gave presentations on the urban coyote problem.
The City Council Chambers were nearly packed with residents attending the meeting.
Mullins said that, like fighting crime, battling the urban coyote was a problem that would require cooperation.
“We have to ensure that they are not comfortable being here,” Mullins said.
Councilwoman Ellery Deaton asked why there was so much coyote activity now.
Fish and Game Lt. Kent Swirl said freeway construction and the presence of food were the reasons for increased coyote activity locally.
Ted Stevens, manager of Animal Care Services, said his agency would respond if a coyote was sick, out in the daytime or threatening or attacking a human being.
Stevens said coyotes live everywhere, sometimes in people’s backyards without the people even knowing it. He said they are very intelligent. They have very little competition—they are the top predator in the area.
They also have plenty of food.
Pet food left outside feeds coyotes. Messy bird feeders attract rodents and the coyotes eat the rodents. Unsecured trash provides coyotes with food. They will also eat rotting fruit that is left on the ground.
To prevent coyote activity, Stevens said people should not feed coyotes. Stevens said Animal Care Services would definitely want to talk to a person who was feeding them. Stevens said ACS would try to educate people feeding coyotes as opposed to arresting them.
Swirl said judges don’t like to see such cases in their courts because they deal with crimes like rape.
Stevens said larger dogs are at risk of being attacked from January to March, the coyote’s breeding season.
He also said pet owners should not allow their dogs to play with coyotes. He warned pet owners to keep their pets inside at night.
Stevens also said small children should never be left unattended.
Several residents advocated trapping coyotes.
Stevens said it was extremely difficult and extensive to remove coyotes from the area.
Stevens said a Colorado study had shown that if you kill the alpha female coyote, the pups will start breading. He said coyotes breed more rapidly if the population is reduced by trapping and killing them.
Stevens also said it was illegal to relocate animals in California.
Stevens said “hazing,” which he called a fancy word for “training,” was the answer.
He said people should yell and waive their arms at coyotes; bang pots and pans, squirt them with water hoses or throw things at coyotes.
Stevens said people should put themselves between coyotes and children or small pets.
He also advised against hazing a sick coyote.
Later, Mullins played a video for the audience, “How to Haze a Coyote,” which may be found on YouTube.
Greg Smith, public affairs officer at the Navy base, said coyotes had been pushed onto the base by freeway construction and residential development.
Bob Schallman, biologist and natural Resources Program manager for the Navy base, said there were currently 10 to 12 coyotes on the base. He said the base coyotes eat gophers and rabbits. Historically, the base has had 12 to 15 coyotes.
Schallman said the base started the Coyote Education program in August 2012 in response to increased contact between coyotes and humans.
Hazing was part of the program.
He said that within four months, coyotes on the Navy base had abandoned contact with humans.
Fish and Game Lt. Swirl said his agency started a program in 2002 called Wildlife Watch that was similar to Neighborhood Watch.
He said removing the animals would spread fear among them, but it wouldn’t work in the long run if you don’t remove the things that attract coyotes—food, water and shelter.
Swirl said that if you have a coyote in your neighborhood, run him out.
Patty Campbell of College Park East said someone told her about seeing three coyotes together. She found that disturbing.
Swirl said if you encounter a group, back away.
Campbell asked if that would work if there were three of them.
Swirl said yes.
Swirl said that if you reduce the food supply, the coyote population will go down.
Swirl said trash, pet food and compost piles attract coyotes.
In response to a question from the public, both Mullins and Stevens said they had not received any reports of coyotes coming through doggie doors.
Swirl advised a resident against taking their dog out for a walk at night and suggested having someone with them.
