Sixth of a series.
The Sun recently asked the following questions on three social media pages:
“On the record, for possible quotation in the print edition of the Sun:
“When you see a coyote, do you report it to the Seal Beach Police or do you post on social media or both?
“When you see a coyote, do you try to scare it off or avoid contact?
“Have you ever seen someone feeding coyotes? If so, did you report it to the police?”
Only a few individuals answered, but their comments showed a variety of opinions. Comments have been lightly edited for spelling and grammar.
• Jon Janecek of College Park West wrote: “Great questions. 1. I use the web app from the city website to report. It’s vastly improved from what it used to be. 2. If I’m with my small dogs I try to stare down the coyote (which I did earlier this year after a coyote had killed a poor cat on Stanford). If I don’t have my dogs, I likely will just keep going. 3. Never have seen anyone feeding coyotes. I believe their heart is in the right place but it’s a horrible idea to feed wildlife.”
• Gary Kowarsch of Old Town & The Hill wrote: “Yes if you see coyotes please report on city website. Also good to tell your neighbors here. Seen a few walking down street at night. I always scare them off. They need to remain scared of humans. I would call police if I see someone feeding coyotes. Wouldn’t even try to talk to the person. They are misguided souls.”
Later, he wrote: “Again on the City of Seal Beach website there is a place to report when you see coyotes. Best we can do I guess.”
• Christine Cargile of Old Town & The Hill wrote: “Is it legal to take a picture of a person putting food out for them and posting it?”
• Kowarsch wrote: “For safety I would just show police. People are crazy these days.”
• Nicky Whistler of Old Town & The Hill wrote: “Night before last, saw one resting on the grass at the pier (South side) in Eisenhower Park. A couple nights before that, one was following us on the sand along the boardwalk.
• “I’ve spoken with the SB police and animal control on numerous occasions, also asked if my reporting my coyote sightings to them would do anything. They say there’s nothing they can do.”
• Gwen Forsythe of Old Town & The Hill wrote: “I did not know this website was an option, but not too late to advise … two weeks ago, in the middle of the day, a coyote came towards me in the middle of Riviera Drive, next to the school. It continued down the street, turned towards the sidewalk, then left up Bolsa. It had plenty of options of where to go at that point. Looked like a pup which could explain its appearance during the early afternoon. About six months ago we found the remains in a rabbit next to our garage, that was frightening knowing it was that close to our two small dogs. I have compassion for the coyotes, but knowing the threat they pose to people and their pets drives home how vigilant we all must be. Hopefully that website will grow in popularity and become a well-used tool to keep us informed.”
• Diane D. of College Park East wrote: “The coyotes are not the problem. Humans are the problem. We have taken away their territories where they survive. And nothing is being done to help them. This is happening to other animals as well. Why report them to the Seal Beach Police as they are not taking care of the problems with humans violating the laws.”
• Raymond Kenny of Huntington Harbour replied to Diane: “People want to have them killed. They have been around this region for over 1 million years. Long before domestic animals. I see cats with collars pulling baby birds out of their nests and other small creatures??? Same thing? Domestic animals shouldn’t be running around either! They find feral cats and mate, then there’s 100s of them. If people took the time to go online and learn ways of co-existence that can reduce the risk. YouTube has experts that will stop the delirium and hatred of local animals here. One million years or more. They need to look after their animals better instead.” Kenny wrote that there was lots of safeguard advice online.
• Christine Harrison of Leisure World wrote: “I do scare them away.
“I do not report to police. (Police and Animal Control have already said multiple times to many people that they’re not allowed to do anything about it).
“I do not post on social media because, by the time people read it, the coyote will have moved on.
“I highly doubt that people are feeding coyotes. Coyotes eat meat (or maybe dog food), and meat is much too expensive to be tossing to coyotes.
“A lot of people assume that, because the coyotes are getting more bold, that ‘someone must be feeding them.’ They’re getting more bold because we’re NOT letting them get (as many of) our dogs and cats anymore! We’re being extra vigilant, so now coyotes have to work harder: They have to roam in the daytime as well as at night, and they have had to learn to work “around” humans to find any rabbit or squirrel they can. Coyotes can’t spend all day ‘hiding’ every time a human is near. We’re everywhere … all the time! If a coyote wants a rabbit? He might have to ‘encounter’ 3-10 humans before he finds one.”
City officials encourage the public to “haze” the coyote and report it on the city’s coyote portal.
Next: What the law allows.