Wildlife Groups Invited the Public To Learn How To Coexist With Coyotes Tuesday
Arcadia Has Already Snared 15 Coyotes, Including Two Juveniles
In the wake of the Arcadia City Council’s decision to try to eradicate coyotes in the community through the use of painful and deadly snares, three wildlife-protection organizations and a local humane society called an urgent meeting to raise public awareness about effective, nonlethal methods for discouraging coyotes from lingering in neighborhoods. The groups will show that Arcadia’s program-which has so far caused the agonizing deaths of 15 coyotes, two of whom were juveniles-is wholly ineffective as a means of controlling the coyote population. The program will cost $30,000 and potentially cause the death of untold numbers of “nontarget” animals such as cats, dogs, raccoons, and other local wildlife. The City Council had promised to hold a public education meeting on the issue but never did. That’s when local activists got busy and decided to take the case directly to residents with a free presentation called “Coyotes in Our Midst.” The event is being organized by San Gabriel Valley Friends of Wildlife, Project Coyote, Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA, and the Animal Welfare Institute:
The meeting on Tuesday, November 30, attracted 300 people and one Council member, Mayor Amandson.
“We love living in the foothills, but we have to respect who lives in these hills,” says Bonnie Barron, Arcadia native and founder of San Gabriel Valley Friends of Wildlife. She notes that there was a spike in local coyote sightings following last year’s Station Fire, which left countless surviving animals homeless. “Arcadia has unleashed a cruel and ineffective killing program-when all we need to keep coyotes at bay is awareness, some precautions, and kindness.”
Animals who become caught in snares slowly suffocate or endure painful injuries. When nursing mothers are caught, their babies often starve to death. As long as conditions remain inviting, more animals will simply move in to fill the void left by those who were killed. Effective means of discouraging coyotes include removing outdoor pet food, unsecured garbage, and fallen fruit and never feeding them. Because coyotes are naturally shy animals who are easily frightened, humane methods of control can be as simple as making noise or installing lights with motion detectors. Also, residents are encouraged never to allow their companion animals to roam. Cats and unguarded small dogs are invitations to coyotes.
The event’s keynote speaker was supposed to be Camilla Fox, founding executive director of Project Coyote and wildlife consultant for the Animal Welfare Institute. However Fox could not attend at the last minute due to illness. Cox has co-authored two books on wildlife and served as an appointed member on the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture’s National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee. She currently serves on the steering committee of the international Human-Wildlife Conflict Collaboration and on several other nonprofit advisory boards. Fox also co-produced the award-winning documentary Cull of the Wild and holds a master’s degree in wildlife ecology, policy, and conservation from Prescott College.
The overall meeting was deemed a great success in educating the public about these snares.