Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Coyote Bites Jogger in Griffith Park

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive. 

()

A coyote as seen in Griffith Park | Photo by Ilpo's Sojourn via Flickr

It was just last month when coyotes reportedly killed Paris Hilton's dogs (she denied it, though), as well as pets owned by Demi Moore and Halle Berry. And yesterday, a jogger was bitten by a coyote, but her injuries were not serious and she did nothing to provoke the incident.

A park ranger told the Daily News that "the coyote was responding to feeding by other park patrons. The coyote expected to get fed." Apparently, people have been feeding the coyotes over the past few months which has changed their behavior. The ranger said coyotes have enough food in the wild and that feeding them does not do the animals any service.

Support for LAist comes from

In fact, the first two rules in Project Wildlife's guide to living with coyotes say don't feed them. "1. Don’t feed coyotes; they could become dependent upon humans for food. 2. Don’t leave your pet food outdoor."

"Coyotes, to my way of thinking, are as emblematic of L.A. as the ubiquitous palm tree," explains writer Rodger Jacobs on his blog. "They may be an occasional nuisance — my ex-wife’s cat was coyote food a few years back — but Angelenos just gotta learn to live with their presence; after all, they were there first."

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist