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Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 10, 2008 - 01:49pm PT
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A rash of coyote attacks on small children in the Inland Empire over the past week has state wildlife management officials concerned.
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Coyotes are typically skittish animals that will run from people. But as their habitat increasingly mingles with humans', coyotes seem to be losing their fear.
"It is concerning to us that we're seeing such bold behavior," said Kevin Brennan, wildlife biologist for the California Department of Fish and Game.
Read Mydesert.com readers comments from Thursday's story on Coyote attacks
Recently in the Southland:
A coyote grabbed a 2-year-old girl by the head and began dragging her out of her yard in the mountain community of Lake Arrowhead on Tuesday before the girl's mother was able to chase the animal away.
In Temecula on Wednesday, a coyote entered a home through a sliding glass door where a 4-year-old child was sleeping on a couch. A babysitter began yelling and throwing things at the coyote to scare it out of the home, but it refused to leave for some time.
A nanny pulled a 2-year-old girl from the jaws of a coyote at Alterra Park in the San Bernardino County community of Chino Hills on May 2.
A coyote came after a toddler in the same park on Sunday. The child's father kicked and chased the coyote away.
Both toddlers who were bitten were taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The Coachella Valley is far from immune from such incidents, with coyotes living in wash areas, foothills and golf courses adjacent to homes.
In January 2007, a former Palm Springs resident walking a small dog on Farrell Drive near the Department of Motor Vehicles was knocked to the ground from behind by a coyote, her Jack Russell terrier snatched from its leash.
In September, a Palm Springs resident walking two small dogs near a wash by Mesquite Avenue was aggressively confronted by two coyotes that were not deterred by the rocks she threw at them. The woman said she picked up her dogs and ran home, the coyotes chasing them.
John Welsh, spokesman for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, said while coyote encounters are state Fish and Game's jurisdiction, his department gets "a lot of calls about coyotes."
"The Coachella Valley has grown a lot," he said. "Areas that used to be not built up are closer now to where the coyote always roamed."
People need to take "serious precautions about protecting their pets," even in their home's yards, in areas near where coyotes are known to roam, Welsh said.
Suburban living
Aggressive coyote behavior isn't uncommon in areas where neighborhoods interface with nature, Fish and Game spokesman Harry Morse said.
A 2003 study found 111 documented coyote attacks of people statewide over a roughly 20-year period, Morse said.
Many coyotes are born and live all their lives in suburban areas, where garbage, pet food and rodents attracted by bird feeders and fallen ornamental fruit provide a more abundant food supply than the wild, Morse said.
Coyotes have even caused concern in places such as downtown Los Angeles, he said.
"We have a situation here where it's just intensified," he said.
Hunting and trapping efforts were undertaken by Fish and Game to capture and kill the aggressive coyotes in the two San Bernardino County incidents, Brennan said.
Trappers caught and killed three coyotes in Chino Hills Tuesday night, one of which they believe is the coyote that attacked the girl there, Morse said.
Coyote populations are abundant throughout North America, aggressive encounters with humans are happening throughout the U.S. and Canada, and thinning coyote populations isn't an option, Brennan said.
Coyotes have been subjected to bounty hunting, poisoning, trapping and aerial hunting, with no success in controlling their numbers, he said.
"There will never be a program to attempt to thin the coyote population. It just won't work," he said.
"All we can do is respond to incidents as we are doing here."
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 10, 2008 - 02:08pm PT
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Bob Carmichael, who is not by any means a small guy, was recently up in the Flatirons above Boulder with a gal climbing the Matron. On his way down, he twisted his knee (hyperflexed it he said): while it took the two of them several hours to descend due to his injury, they were harassed at close range by a pack of coyotes.
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Double D
climber
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May 10, 2008 - 05:47pm PT
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When I used to live in San Clemente dogs and cats disappeared on a regular basis. The local pet store had punch-cards, buy 9 get the 10th free! (just kidding but we all thought it would be a good promo).
Way back in the day Ron K. told me a story that still raises the hairs on my neck. He had been hanging out at Lucy’s parent’s place and while riding his bike back at around midnight in front of the lodge and a couple of coyotes were milling around the side of the road. Ron decided to buzz them and scare them away…bad idea. The pack that was lurking in the shadows turned on him and launched into attack mode pursuing Ron well past the gas station as he peddled at full speed heading to C4….said he was totally gripped!
They’re so cute though, huh?
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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May 10, 2008 - 06:08pm PT
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I saw a pretty bold coyote whilst walking my dog this winter- it charged my pooch- in a park in the middle of SF!
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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May 10, 2008 - 06:21pm PT
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I guess we're pretty lucky in Valley Center, NE county of San Diego. The people population has grown but not that much. We still have plenty of cats and dogs (and children) that remain untouched.
An hour away in the beautiful desert of Borrego Springs, the coyots lay under the palm trees and critique our golf games as we walk by them.
P&J LRL
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AllezAllez510
Trad climber
PDX, OR
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May 10, 2008 - 08:47pm PT
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Ummm...What the hell do people expect? You build and build and build and replace the wilds with strip mall suburbia. This is going to sound callous but, hey I'll just be honest, coyotes have just as much a right to living space and food as people do.
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Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
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Topic Author's Reply - May 10, 2008 - 08:53pm PT
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I wonder if it is a lack of food supply or are the coyotes getting more use to humans.
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L
climber
Ocean of dreams....
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May 10, 2008 - 08:54pm PT
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Yes Allez, I agree, as do mountain lions and bears and the rest of the natural world that's being decimated by urban sprawl.
Trouble is, we've got traps, poison, earth-movers and guns, and they don't.
(Notice I didn't say "a bigger brain"...hahaha!)
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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May 10, 2008 - 09:05pm PT
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I just visualized Kauk pedaling for his life with a pack of coyotes tear-assin' after him, it's actually kinda funny.
Glad he could pedal that fast.
Today, about 2 hours ago, I left my wife and friend at the trailhead hiking back from the lower tier of Diablo. I went solo to get the car and a nice sized coyote walks across the road and stops, looks at me, I keep walking at him, he continues on across the road. No problem.
I guess small children and pets should be watched though. Coyotes know an easy meal when the see it.
Good day to climb today too!
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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May 10, 2008 - 09:10pm PT
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Various coyote populations might get bolder,
perhaps make some moves?
Then get whacked in droves by Fish and Game, or some such?
I wonder what would happen if you just stood there and let 'em come on?? Are they "just playing?", you know - the way a "wild" canine species might??
I wonder.
Packs can be spooky, but you know how they love to chase.
Sorta think the coyote's would just stand there too, probably
thinking, "hey, he's not playing!"
It's the sneaky sh#t they can do, then factor in small children
and, possible bad scene.
For some reason, not sure why, the idea of a mass coyote uprising is, well - exciting, right?
It would bug me to shoot a wolf, a big cat or a bear.
I could shoot a deer for food, rabbits, whatever.
Don't think shooting a coyote would be a problem.
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AllezAllez510
Trad climber
PDX, OR
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May 10, 2008 - 10:00pm PT
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Maybe this makes me a bad person...but, what the hell. I get more upset when I hear about mass animal killings or species extinction than when there is news of a major humanitarian disaster. Bottom line, deep down, I feel like the loss of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people, in a population of 6.6 billion is not a tragedy compared to the loss of, say five murdered gorillas out of a population of less than 1000.
People live totally detached from nature. Animals can and will strike back when there homes are threatened.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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May 10, 2008 - 10:26pm PT
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RE:
"I get more upset when I hear about mass animal killings or species extinction than when there is news of a major humanitarian disaster"
Well, consrevation seems like a good way to bend this topic -
gotta make a suggestion then:
Eyelids of Morning
by Alistair Graham, Chronicle Books, Peter Beard (Photographer)
In some ways this book is, IMHO a kind of insightful
"last word" of sorts on conservation, especially the ending*.
Alistair Graham doesn't mess around with his priorities,
or with quality staff, and yes I am smiling as I
write, who could not when thinking of the true
creative excellence in Peter Beard's photographic work.
the book makes the point for me, so...I'll let it.
http://www.amazon.com/Eyelids-Morning-Graham/dp/0877015392
great sh*t, IMHO.
*short enough to read in a sitting at a bookstore, if you can find it.
RE:
"People live totally detached from nature. "
why IS that?
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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May 10, 2008 - 10:30pm PT
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I agree. People have an overly developed sense of self worth. We continue to encroach on their habitat, kill them, trap them, put them in zoos etc. I'm speaking of nature in general.
Then we sit around and whine about them doing what they do, try to survive.
Oh well, not to worry. Soon there will be hords out with their rifles shooting them, traping them, posioning them etc.
Sounds like a real well balanced thought process to me...
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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May 10, 2008 - 10:36pm PT
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That's kinda funny Raydog. I bet some of is the thrill of the chase for them.
I think it was Ricky D who suggested that sometime a pack sends a lure out to get domesticated dogs to 'play', then the whole pack devours the dog. I saw this behaviour fist hand with my old dog, Lucy. A single coyote would always come around and wait for me to let her out. I thought it was a love thang, but Ricky D could be right.
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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May 10, 2008 - 11:00pm PT
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Ahhhhh, come on. Wiley is your friend. Humans, the other white meat. It's what's for dinner.
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
In the mountains... somewhere...
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May 10, 2008 - 11:27pm PT
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When Mike Waugh and Randy Leavitt were doing the first ascent of Dummy's Delight in Josh, I was standing around on the desert floor watching. The route looked chossy, hence the name, and so I had decided not to climb it. As I was standing there at dusk I was suddenly surrounded by about 12 coyotes that were doing the yapping thing and growling at me. Mike and Randy were watching thinking I was about to be eaten. Instead I soloed a nice 5.9 slab to get away. Being somewhat small they may have decided I could be taken. They may have been right but they were a little too slow about the actual taking to get me. So, don't assume it is only babies that they will try for.
True story from about the year 1975.
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
In the mountains... somewhere...
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May 11, 2008 - 12:09am PT
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IF! If they are ready to attack, I seriously doubt fvcking up only one of them would have any effect.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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May 11, 2008 - 12:12am PT
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I visited a friend in Yellowstone in 1990 during the winter season. (Got to stay for free)!!!!
But a few days after I left, a skier came upon a 'thing' on the trail that ended up being a coyote who attacked him. He was bitten severly, and struggled back to Old Faithful for first aid. My friend, working for the park, but not a ranger, administered first aid (without thinking, didn't put gloves on).
They both had to undergo the entire rabies vaccine due to the
injuries and contact with the victim's blood. The rangers killed a coyote, but it wasn't known if it was the perpetrator.
Cindy said the vaccine wasn't as bad (it now can be administered in the arm, not through the stomach muscles), but the snowmobile trip weekly to Mammoth Hot Spring was worse!
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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May 11, 2008 - 12:15am PT
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So?
We can't extirpate the coyote like the wolf, only killing the stupid ones so the survivors are smarter, so it begins to evolve into the wolf niche but equipped with a better brain.
And we are surprised they are becoming bolder?
Hell, I'm surprised the coyotes don't have their own space program.
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Chaz
Trad climber
So. Cal.
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May 11, 2008 - 12:16am PT
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I don't see coyotes as getting bolder today.
I don't ever remember a time when coyotes seemed to be very frightened of people. At least not the coyotes around here.
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