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The LA fires may be leading to more coyote sightings this year
Two coyotes walk on grass at the edge of scorched earth in Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
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David McNew
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Getty Images North America
)
It’s spring, and that means coyote mating season, not just in Southern California wildlands, but also in the urban landscape. While it’s hard to say whether there are more coyotes roaming the region, the fact that it's mating season means you are more likely to see one.
“Animals are sort of out and about. They're vocalizing. They’re scent marking. They're grooming, they're moving around, they're looking for mates,” said Ted Stankowich, a professor of biological sciences at California State University, Long Beach.
He hasn’t studied the effects of the Palisades and Eaton fires on coyotes, but said fires often destroy coyote dens and disrupt their territories.
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“Where one pack might have dominated one sort of larger territory, that territory might be split up. And now you have two packs in there, and you might have two breeding females and more pups,” he said, which can lead to more interactions with humans.
Most coyotes are afraid of people, Stankowich said, but packs may include an aggressive member. Here are his suggestions when encountering coyotes:
- Carry a noisemaker, like a whistle or cowbell to scare them
- Throw a rock to make their encounter with you unpleasant
- Carry bear spray
- At home, keep small and large pets inside — a coyote pack can overtake larger dogs, like German shepherds
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