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Tackling Southern California's Urban Coyote Problem

Nationally known wildlife expert will hold free seminars this week on coexisting with the wild animals.

Do you have a coyote problem? If you haven't seen Fluffy in a while, or if you've spotted a coyote wandering your neighborhood in the early dawn, maybe you do and don't know it. 

To help educate citizens to the problem of urban coyotes, which have existed for years throughout parts of Southern California, urban wildlife specialist Lynsey White Dasher of the Humane Society of the United States will hold three free seminars about coyotes that will cover the species' behavior, its attractants, its deterrents and related topics. Question and answer sessions will follow her presentations.

Huntington Beach will be the location for Tuesday night's session. The City of Long Beach's Animal Care Services Bureau is hosting the national expert on Thursday.

The seminars are scheduled for:

  • 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Huntington Beach Central Library Theater, 7111 Talbot Avenue, Huntington Beach.

Thursday in two Long Beach locations:

  • 1:30-3 p.m. at P.D. Pitchford Companion Village Auditorium 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach.
  • 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Skylinks Golf Course 4800 E. Wardlow Road, Long Beach. 

The public is asked to RSVP to (562) 570-3072 or animalcare@longbeach.gov for this event.

For more information, please visit www.longbeach.gov/acs

Have you seen a coyote in your neighborhood? Share your experience in comments.

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Nancy Wride (Editor) August 14, 2012 at 02:33 pm
Over the weekend some coyotes attacked one of two dogs being walked in Central Park in Huntington Beach, according to KTLA. http://landing.newsinc.com/ktla/video.html?freewheel=91045&sitesection=ktla&VID=23776006
robin August 14, 2012 at 03:42 pm
Coyotes have been here for years. peoples' stupidity is the problem...NOT the coyotes. More and more foreigners are moving in and they haven't a clue - except to kill - innocent four legged creatures... This area is truly becoming over populated with humans and therefore, ALL wildlife are suffering. I say leave the coyotes alone... control your pets and don't leave garbage out, etc. etc. etc.
Nicole Mooradian (Editor) August 14, 2012 at 06:54 pm
We think coyotes in our neighborhood killed one of our cats 7-8 years ago. He was an outdoor cat (he kept the mouse population down on our property) who normally came inside at night, but we didn't find him one night.
I actually saw one hanging out in front of our house while I was in high school. It looked like a really ugly, emaciated dog.
Darlene Harman August 14, 2012 at 07:45 pm
Living with Wildlife:Coyotes play an important role in the food chain by controlling mice, rats and other rodents and scavenging on dead wildlife that otherwise could spread disease. Rodents make up the bulk of the coyote diet in both urban and rural settings. Many areas, such as cemeteries and golf courses, have reported declines in damage associated with gophers once coyotes appeared. Coyotes also help to control geese/ducks in urban areas and on agricultural lands where flocks can forage and destroy young crops. Coyotes sometimes kill domestic and free-roaming cats for food or to remove competition. This can be controversial with some members of the public; however, a positive consequence of coyotes preying on feral cats can be an increase in nesting success for neo-tropical songbirds
David & Rebecca Lara August 14, 2012 at 09:13 pm
Coyotes in a natural habitat eating the natural food source is a positive chain reaction in nature. When coyotes multiple, have no natural predator, begin living in communities, they can soon become imprinted (unafraid of humans). Coyote attacks in Southern California has risen on people/pets. Please Read:
http://www.davenportranch.org/announcementspub/COYOTEATTACKS_ANINCREASINGSUBURBANPROBLEM.doc Rossmoor has had 4 residents: 2 females were charged by coyotes, 1 female fought off a coyote attempting to bite her, 2 coyotes stalked a female jogger. 40 pets in Rossmoor were killed primarily in their own backyards. In speaking with Ms. Dasher she has stated she is not a scientist but is merely collecting data on coyotes for the Humane Society. "They were here first" offers no resolution to the imprinted coyote problem. In particular, the female who had to fight off a coyote with a plastic chair. Government needs to implement a policy in dealing with imprinted overflow of the coyote population in residential communites. Although reference has been made to feral cats, the animal control agencies will remove feral cats. Imprinted coyotes are carniverous and carry a multitude of diseases as well.
bchnblk August 15, 2012 at 04:41 pm
As long as mankind keeps running them out of thier homes, they are going to come to ours.
Protect your pets especially at night they depend on you.
Paul V. August 15, 2012 at 07:09 pm
Well said robin!
Paul V. August 15, 2012 at 07:10 pm
And the coyotes help keep the cat population down! And the circle of life contiues!
yvette August 17, 2012 at 02:01 am
Early this morning were 5 full grown coyotes in gridley park. They had no fear of me even after I turned the exterior light on and made noise. They were looking for prey no doubt. I called animal control, never seen more than 2 or lack of fear towards humans.
MarieSam Sanchez August 17, 2012 at 02:10 am
yvette, gridley park in Cerritos? That's right in the middle of a huge neighborhood where lots of kids pass during the school year! What time did you see them?
David & Rebecca Lara August 17, 2012 at 10:25 am
Your very lucky that this group of coyotes didn't attack you. We will be notifying government officials regarding this incident. This is a community neighborhood park where kids are often seen.
Monica Sifford August 17, 2012 at 11:47 am
I had seen three coyotes in the North Long Beach area in the early morning on Aug 9th. I had saved a cat that one of the coyotes was trying to get. I just followed in my car and kept honking the horn over & over again until I finally had scared it away. I did inform Animal Control on the same day. Unfortuantely I was not able to save a cat that they had already killed and were eating prior. I hate to see ANY animal in danger, nevertheless when it is someone's pet!
Jessica Long January 5, 2013 at 01:43 pm
Hello, I live on Grand View Blvd. in Mar Vista Los Angeles. Tonight I scarred off 2 COYOTES from my driveway at 2:30am (on Jan 5 2013). I had let my cat out earlier and went to call him in when I saw them out front. Thankfully I was able to retrieve him and my other cats who were also out. Surprisingly my dog did not bark during the whole occurrence. I have also recently, (yesterday) seen a large, pink tipped HAWK circling my area and at the top of Grand View Hill @ Palms around 12 noon-1 pm, and have been told by a neighbor that there is an OWL hanging around as well!. THESE ARE ALL PREDATORS AND ARE LOOKING FOR OUR PETS as FOOD/PREY All of this is REALLY BAD news for owners of small pets that spend time outdoors unattended. PLEASE NOTIFY RESIDENTS!!
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Nancy Wride (Editor) June 17, 2013 at 01:40 pm
Hi Mark. I'll see if I can find out. Roughly what time and nearest landmark if any?
Nancy Wride (Editor) June 3, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Love it! Thanks to our new bloggers. :D
Should he be teaching your children?
Mike Ruehle June 3, 2013 at 01:36 pm
Prior to his election as a write-in candidate, Councilman Patrick O'Donnell told the Long BeachRead More Business Journal on February 28, 2012 the following:***** LBBJ: If you win the reelection, will you commit to a full four-year term?***** Councilman O'Donnell: If you run for four, you serve four. ***** LBBJ: So, you're not going to run for Assembly in two years? ***** O'Donnell: Correct. ***** LBBJ: No matter what? ***** O'Donnell: Correct. If you run for four, you serve four. ***** If you can't trust O'Donnell's word, why would anyone vote for him to be their representative for political office? ***** http://www.lbreport.com/news/jan13/odonlbbj.htm
Nancy Wride (Editor) June 3, 2013 at 02:22 pm
And do his supporters care about this, do you think? No doubt others will.
Mike Ruehle June 3, 2013 at 11:43 pm
Regarding, "do O'Donnell's supporters care?", many of O'Donnell's supporters are inRead More elected and appointed public positions, and their support of O'Donnell includes placing the financial burden of a $150,000 special election on the taxpayers. I would think that a responsible journalist would ask each of them about that issue.