1 california’s safest large city for people and animals ted stevens, manager animal care services...

1California’s safest large city for people and animals

Ted Stevens, ManagerAnimal Care Services BureauCity of Long BeachDepartment of Parks, Recreation and Marine

Living with Wildlife in Long Beach

City of Long Beach

2 California’s safest large city for people and animals

Long Beach Animal Care Services Policy

• Animal Care Services encourages the healthy co-existence of the public and the natural wildlife. Consistent with the California Code of Regulations.

Wildlife


Long Beach Animal Care Services Policy

ACS will respond to Coyote calls when:

1.Sick and/or injured

2.Out during the day in areas around people, especially children (parks/schools)

3.Threatening/attack on a person

Wildlife


Solving Problems with Coyotes

1. Why are Coyotes in Seal Beach

2. Solving Coyote Conflicts

• Changing Coyote Behavior

• Changing our Behavior

3. Tips for Co-Existence


Why Seal Beach?

Why are Coyotes in Seal Beach?


Coyote Ecology

Habitat Needs

•Coyotes live in all landscape types

•Coyotes live in close proximity to people, but people usually rarely see them

•Some coyotes live in heavily urbanized landscapes

•Within their home ranges, coyotes show preference to natural habitats

•Coyotes go out of their way to avoid people


• Plenty of habitat

• Plenty of food• Mice & rats – free rodent control!• Small mammals• Helping to balance the ecosystem

• Little Competition – top predator

Why Seal Beach?


Other possible attractants:

• Pet food and water outside• Unsecured garbage cans• Messy bird feeders• Fruit left on the ground• Accessible vegetable gardens• Compost piles• Available small pets• Intentional feeding?

Why Seal Beach?


Coyote Sightings

•Coyotes are naturally diurnal(active at dawn and dusk)

•Coyotes naturally avoid people• Most coyotes are never

seen by people, despite living nearby

•Coyotes living in close proximity to people can become habituated, or lose their fear of people

Why Seal Beach?


Why Seal Beach?

Coyote Habituation

•Coyotes usually become habituated when they learn that people and/or neighborhoods are a source of food:

• Pet food outside• Unsecured trash• Compost piles• Fruit trees (rotting fruit)• Bird feeders

Habituation is a learned behavior

We reinforce this behavior by not reacting when we see a coyote.


Preventing Coyote Conflicts




Will Coyotes attack pets?

•Coyotes normally hunt small rodents

•Unattended pets (especially small dogs and cats) are at risk of coyote attack

•Larger breed dogs at higher risk during coyote breeding season

Proper pet care & safety is paramount!


Protecting dogs

• Always attend pets when outdoors

• Use short leashes when walking pets

• Keep pets inside at night

• Do not allow coyote between you and pet

• Do not allow dogs to play with coyotes




Small dogs• Especially important to

accompany outdoors

• Always use leash

• Pickup dog if you encounter a coyote

Large dogs• Be extra vigilant during January-March

• Always use leash

• Do not allow dog to play with Coyote!



Protecting cats

The ONLY way to ensure cat safety is to keep them indoors!

OR

• Use a leash and harness

• Buy a cat enclosure


Protecting pets at home

• Remove thick brush near homes

• Secure garbage lids

• Clean up under bird feeders

• Keep pet food inside

• Pick up fruit/vegetables on ground

• Motion activated lights and sprinklers

• Fence protection (rollers/screens)




Do coyotes attack people?

• Coyote attacks on people are very rare!

• Average < 12 bites per year in U.S.• 4.7 million dog bites/year in U.S.



Safety tips for children

• Never leave small children unattended outside• Pick up small children if coyote is nearby• Teach children safety around strange dogs/animals

• Be S.M.A.R.T• Stop and don’t make sudden moves• Make yourself look big• Announce yourself by making noise• Retreat by backing away slowly (Do not try and run away)• Tell an adult


Solutions for Coyote Conflicts




How to address Problematic Coyote Behavior?

Removal Relocation Hazing



Lethal Removal• Extremely difficult & expensive to catch “proble

m” coyote

• Transient coyotes will fill empty home ranges

• Coyote populations that have been trapped may reproduce more

• Doesn’t address the root cause of the conflicts• Doesn’t eliminate attractants

• Doesn’t teach local residents how to coexist with coyotes

• Doesn’t teach coyotes acceptable behavior

• Endless cycle of killing



Lethal Removal• 7 year study in Southeast Colorado

• 92 Coyotes collared and tracked

• Removal area and control area

• Population reduced 61-75% every year

• Population size went back up to pre-removal numbers in 8 months• Mean litter sizes doubled• Litter sex ratio favored females after

removal• Yearlings reproduced in removal area and

did not in control area



Relocation• Not allowed in California

• Just moves the “problem” to another community

• Cook County Coyote Project monitored 12 relocated nuisance coyotes• None remained at their release site

(all gone within 24 hours)• All traveled toward their original

home range• None returned successfully

• Killed by cars or hunters• Disputes with other coyotes



To address Coyote conflicts we must:

Change Coyote Behavior AND Change our behavior


Changing our Behavior

To avoid conflicts with coyotes:

• Eliminate food attractants and wildlife feeding

• Take precautions with pets

• Teach children

• Educate our neighbors



Coyote Hazing

Training method that employs immediate use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage an undesirable behavior or activity.



Coyote Hazing = using various techniques to reinstill the natural fear of humans back to habituated coyotes. Techniques include:

• Yelling and waving arms• Respond aggressively• Banging Pots and Pans• Using squirt guns or hoses• Throwing things (tennis balls or rocks)• Whistles or airhorns

• Marking our territory in a way they understand

• Coyote hazing changes coyote behavior• Learned behavior is passed on to family members and pups

Never ignore or run!




Coyote Hazing Best Practices:

• MUST make a connection with the coyote for hazing to work• Hazing from car or house is not effective• Paintballing from behind bushes is not effective

• Put yourself between coyote and your pet or child• Using squirt guns or hoses

• Must continue hazing until the coyote has completely left the area


Coyote Hazing Best Practices:

• Variety of methods and hazers is important

• Only use noisemakers, etc… when you have a connection w/ coyote

• Usually only 2-3 times needed per coyote/coyote family group



Coyote Hazing: Additional tips and precautions

• Never haze a sick or injured coyote• Behavior of sick/injured coyotes is unpredictable

• Do not haze cornered coyote• Ensure that there is plenty of room for coyote to escape

• Young children should call for an adult• Most important for children not to run




NEVER EVER FEED

COYOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


In Conclusion…

To prevent coyote conflicts we must

• Change our behavior:• Eliminate food attractants• Take precautions with pets• Teach children to be S.M.A.R.T around coyotes

• Change problematic coyote behavior:• With hazing

• All work together!


Thank You!

A Very Special Thank You to Lynsey White DasherAnd

The Humane Society of the United States


Thank You!

To Report Coyote Sightings or Conflicts

(562) 570 - PETS

www.longbeach.gov/acs


Thank You!

Questions?

1 california’s safest large city for people and animals ted stevens, manager animal care services...

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