Living and coping with coyotes
Recently, reports of coyote sightings in the local area have become even more frequent, and the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center stands ready to assist residents in dealing with potential encounters.
"Coyotes are extremely smart and they have learned how to thrive living with us," notes Animal Services Center Manager Michelle Claud-Clemente in a new MVTV News video on the subject. "Where you might have only seen coyotes in the past in the evenings and at dawn, now you see them all the time."
Coyotes do have a natural fear of humans - and a technique called "hazing" can help to reinforce this innate fear and deter them from neighborhoods and yards. Hazing is a method which makes use of a variety of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage an undesirable behavior or activity, with the simplest approach being to act loud and large if a coyote is near.
For more information and additional tips on hazing, visit the Animal Services Center website or call 949-470-3045.
Comments
HELLO, Three months ago, I…
HELLO,
Three months ago, I heard a terrific ruckus on my small patio fence at 'Mosaic Apt. Homes' on Felipe Rd. in M.V.I
parted my slider door blinds to see my whole fence lined with a 'murder' of crows, clearly furious.
I keep my door slightly open to allow my Chihuahua to go out and through that space darted a long, furry 'snake'. Lord it was fast. It ran behind my blinds and got trapped in the corner of my living room next to a chest of drawers.
It peaked out at me and I could see a small dark furry face with what looked like a bald spot or a dirty white smudge. I had NO IDEA what it was, and I just opened my door a little more and chased it out of the corner, back outside. It was so tiny and thin it fit right through the small chicken wire I had at the bottom of my fence to keep the dog from going under.
It took me about two minutes to realize, WHAT AN IDIOT I WAS, for not even THINKING of getting a picture. I, at the time was more concerned at how terrified it must be and it just wanted to escape. I did chase off the crows before sending it on it's way, but, to this day I am still kicking myself all over OC.
I began to believe it was a weasel of some sort and looked up on Google,
indigenous CA. weasels. I found, 'Long Tailed Ca. Weasel' and a picture of a perfect square, white patch in the middle of its face.
I went to YouTube and found dozens of clips of the very same critter that was in my home.
I notified my Landlord, Dept of Fish and Game and Animal Services. NOBODY from any of those organizations had ever even SEEN one before. Fish and Game? Oh, COME ON!
Obviously, I was very blessed to experience such a thing, like the lottery or something, but then I felt sad that we had built up and over his whole world, only to live a life of terror. I also worry about the poisoned rats he may come across and eat.
Well, there is my wild life tail.
I met a woman at Circle K who was talking about a Bobcat in her backyard the night before.
Coyotes are not our only neighbors.
Regards,
Michelle Diekmann
(949) 394-1712
My beloved cat was eaten…
My beloved cat was eaten Friday early evening by coyotes.
I'm crushed. I didn't know they came that close to our neighborhood.