Human-coyote interactions increasing; what to do if you see a coyote
SACRAMENTO - Residents in the Pocket neighborhood are concerned about a coyote on the prowl. Over the past few weeks, several neighbors have caught the animal on camera. While some neighbors say it doesn't appear to be aggressive, parents with small children say they're worried.
Micah Chavin, a resident in the Pocket neighborhood, recorded the coyote while driving with his small son in the backseat.
"It was kind of just running up and down houses," Chavin said.
Chavin says he noticed the animal seemed to be limping on its back leg. After posting the video to the Nextdoor app, it was clear his sighting wasn't the first.
"It wasn't until I took the video that I put it on the Nextdoor app and saw there had already been posts about it and a lot of people commenting on that post," Chavin said.
According to the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, coyote-human interactions are increasing across the state.
The combination of urbanization, drought-like conditions and an extended wildfire season is likely to blame.
"Coyotes have adapted to residential areas and that's kind of a reality that we're living with," public information officer for Fish and Wildlife Ken Paglia said.
Paglia says relocating coyotes is not feasible as others will quickly move in. But, he says, there are three ways to safely co-exist with them.
Respect the animal and keep your distance
Remove any food or water source from your property
Haze without harming
While attacks on humans are extremely rare, Chavin says he's not taking any chances.
"We're going to make sure we stay very close to our kids out in the front yard," Chavin said.
Click here to learn more about how to report wildlife incidents.
https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir