Marin County Chief Park Ranger and Project Coyote volunteer, Rob Ruiz, will discuss coyote ecology and biology, ways to mitigate negative encounters with coyotes in Marin and how to foster co-existence.
When: Wednesday, March 25
Time: 12 noon
Where: Civic Center Library, Room 427, 3501 Civic Center Dr., San Rafael
A coyote has taken up residence and raising pups in the Loch Lomond Marina wetlands and has already been spotted taking a neighborhood cat in the Chicken Point area of Bayside Acres (across the inlet from the Marina). In general, coyotes are roaming over all the Pt. San Pedro Road area. Wildlife removal/relocation is against the law in California so this coyote and others will be with us for a while. Here are some useful facts from Wildcare that may dissuade the coyote from becoming a problem in your neighborhood:
- Coyotes are attracted to food. Their favorite food source are rats. Rats hang around their favorite food source (garbage) and defecate there. Coyotes are attracted by rodent urine. So keep your garbage well sealed.
- Bird feeders attract rodents.
- Keep pets indoors especially dusk through dawn. However, be aware that coyotes will hunt during the day when feeding many pups.
- Coyotes don’t usually attack children but will snatch food from children so don’t let children outside with food.
- Coyotes will generally run away, but if threatened, they will stand their ground since their instinct is that an animal that runs away is ‘prey’.
- If a coyote does not give ground, make noise.
- The Wildcare Hot line is open 24 hours and they welcome calls at 453-1000 with concerns and questions.
An excellent source of information about coyotes and how to deal with them in an urban setting can be found on the Project Coyote Resources website, especially the section titled Coyote Hazing Field Guide on that page.