Coyotes are a widespread and adaptable wildlife species in California, inhabiting diverse landscapes from wildlands to urban areas. Their presence often raises questions about potential dangers to people and pets. Understanding coyote behavior and risks is important for safe coexistence.
Coyotes in California
Coyotes (Canis latrans) are native to California and inhabit nearly all environments, including metropolitan regions like Los Angeles and San Diego. They are highly adaptable, thriving even as human populations expand. While active at any time, coyotes are primarily nocturnal or crepuscular, most active during dawn and dusk.
Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores with a varied diet. In rural areas, they eat small mammals like rabbits, rodents, and birds. In urban environments, their diet shifts to human-associated food sources like garbage, pet food, and fallen fruit. This dietary flexibility, combined with food availability and reduced hunting pressure, contributes to their common presence and encounters with humans.
Assessing the Risk
Coyotes pose different levels of risk to pets and humans. The most common conflict involves attacks on pets, particularly small dogs and cats. These incidents frequently occur when pets are left unsupervised outdoors, especially during dawn and dusk. While cats and small dogs can be prey, studies on urban coyote diets indicate that domestic cats make up a relatively small percentage of their overall food intake.
Attacks on humans are rare, though their frequency has increased, particularly in California. Between 1977 and 2015, California recorded 165 coyote attacks on humans, with 73% resulting in injuries. Children, especially toddlers, face a higher risk of serious injury in these rare encounters. Such attacks are often linked to coyotes becoming habituated to humans, usually due to intentional or unintentional feeding.
Coyote attacks on humans can show seasonal patterns, with more incidents occurring during the breeding and pup-rearing season. While coyotes can carry diseases like rabies, distemper, and mange, direct transmission to humans is uncommon. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife advises that coyotes naturally avoid or fear humans, and increased encounters often result from human expansion into wildlife habitats.
Living Alongside Coyotes
Coexisting with coyotes involves preventative measures and knowing how to respond during encounters. A primary step is to remove attractants from residential areas. This includes securing trash in tightly closed containers, feeding pets indoors, and promptly removing pet food bowls after meals. Fallen fruit and compost piles should also be secured or removed, as these can draw coyotes to yards.
Protecting pets requires vigilance and appropriate safeguards. Small pets should always be supervised when outdoors, especially during dawn, dusk, and nighttime hours. When walking dogs, keeping them on a short leash helps maintain control and safety. Fences should be at least six feet high, and adding coyote rollers or burying an apron along the fence line can prevent coyotes from climbing over or digging under.
If a coyote approaches, practicing hazing techniques can help re-establish their natural fear of humans. Make yourself appear large by waving your arms, yelling loudly, and making noises like clapping or using a whistle. You can also throw small objects like sticks or rocks towards the coyote, aiming to startle rather than injure them. Never run from a coyote; instead, back away slowly while continuing to haze them until they leave. For aggressive coyote behavior, or if you encounter a sick or injured animal, contact local animal control or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.