Please, Just Stop Feeding the Coyotes

It sounds like one of those things that should go without saying -- you can look, but don't feed the coyotes.

Concerned about coyotes, a City Council committee directed the Animal Services Department to improve enforcement of a ban  on feeding wildlife in Griffith Park.

"We don't want a repeat of the incident where eight coyotes were  euthanized after two people were bitten over the course of a four-month period  at the end of summer," said Councilman Tom LaBonge, chair of the Arts, Parks,  Health and Aging Committee.

The panel directed the department to review current protocols and fines,  and consider putting up additional signage and installing more trash bins  that cannot be opened by wildlife.

"We need to make sure the public knows never to feed a wild animal, just observe and respect them," LaBonge said.

Eight coyotes were trapped and killed last month in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's policy. The policy states it's ok to capture and kill coyotes only if there is an imminent threat to public safety, according to the Los Angeles Times.

That "imminent threat" was evident after a series of human-coyote encounters. One involved a man who said he was sleeping  near Travel Town when a coyote bit his foot.

The man was not seriously injured.

At least three people reported run-ins with coyotes since late August.

Authorities said the attacks were reported too late to conduct a DNA test on the victims. That means they will never know if any of the dead coyotes bit anyone.

A 2004 study by the University of California's Hopland Research and  Extension Center found coyote aggression and attacks on people and pets on the  rise in the state, particularly in the Southland's "suburban-wild land  interface" areas.

Madeline Bernstein, the president of the Los Angeles chapter of the  Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said killing coyotes could have a negative long-term effects. Fewer coyotes could lead to an increase in their food supply, resulting in a  future increase of the coyote population.

Coyotes cannot be trapped and then re-released into the wild because they cannot adapt quickly enough to their new surroundings and will die. Instead of killing coyotes, spcaLA encourages positive cohabitation  between humans and wildlife, Bernstein said.

The organization said that rather than killing the animals, it would be  better if people didn't feed coyotes, or leave children and small pets outside  unattended.

The public should cover pools, bring in pet water bowls and not leave  water sources for coyotes, Bernstein said.

Yard shrubbery should be trimmed because overgrown foliage gives coyotes  a place to hide. Fallen fruit should be picked up and garbage contained,  Bernstein said. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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