San Diego ExperienceCoyotes and the City
More and more wild animals are calling downtown their stomping grounds Last night, the howls and yips of coyotes kept rousing me from sleep. Maybe they were partying under the very full moon, or maybe they were doing their version of blogging about a particularly good hunt. But they were quite vociferous throughout what seemed to be a very long night.
Downtown should be dominated by condos, not coyotes. Photo by Ron Donoho I don't live out in the country. I live in the middle of San Diego and am constantly amazed by the number of coyotes seen in the city. Not too long ago, while driving home from downtown at about 11 p.m., I followed a coyote for several blocks as he purposely made his way west on Elm Street from Fifth Avenue, stopping at every corner and carefully looking both ways before crossing. The next morning was garbage pick-up, and he seemed to know just which trash cans to check out. He had obviously taken this route many times before and knew exactly where the good stuff would be. Lately, while walking my dog---often in mid-day--I’ve seen a very healthy looking specimen of Canis latrans, watching us from a sparsely wooded area near Morley Field. While she hasn’t behaved aggressively, and seems more curious than anything else, she also isn’t in the least intimidated by rocks thrown to scare her off. Her tameness is worrisome. Someone may be feeding her. She has lost her fear of humans, and might find it easier to snatch someone’s pet rather than hunt rabbits and squirrels. A tame coyote is a danger to itself, too, as sooner or later it will overstep its bounds and someone will call the authorities to have it shot. No one has any idea how many coyotes live in the city, says Terry Morse, spokesperson for the San Diego office of the California Department of Fish and Game. A census of these secretive animals would be a difficult and expensive undertaking. But it's safe to say coyotes can be found in almost every canyon area, and of course, the city has an abundance of canyons, particularly around Balboa Park. As coyotes move into more urban areas, it's important for humans to learn what not to do, to keep them wild and away from our pets. Here are some tips from Project Wildlife, a local wildlife conservation and rehabilitation organization:
Humans can, and should, coexist with coyotes. They are extremely intelligent and resourceful creatures and serve as an important link on the food chain (controlling the rodent populations and helping to serve as carrion clean-up crew). They are moving into our habitat because we have taken over theirs, and eliminated their natural predators.
 Wendy Lemlin About the author: Wendy Lemlin has lived in all four corners of the country and places in between, but has been thrilled to call San Diego home since 2004. A well-published writer, copywriter and photographer, she has enjoyed immersing herself in everything her new home has to offer, be it an incredible meal at one of the city's best restaurants, or hiking to an aah-inspiring view from a near-by mountain. Whether traveling to the far-flung parts of the globe, or the near-flung corners of her own backyard, Wendy is constantly seeking out, and writing about, new experiences, often in the company of her favorite companion, Sophie the Wander-dog. For her part, Sophie can't believe that she actually gets to live someplace with so many dog parks, Yappy Hours and dog beaches! Learn more about Wendy at her website: www.wendylemlin.com. More by this author Subscribe to Experience:
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