CITY OF TORRANCE COYOTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM-COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
At-Home
Coyote
Prevention
Checklist
REMOVE COYOTE ATTRACTANTS:
Accomplished:
Date (month/year) RECOMMENDATIONS
Food NEVER feed wildlife. It is illegal. Leaving food outside your home invites coyotes and their prey (rodents and small mammals).
Pet Food
Feed pets indoors. Coyotes have a keen sense of smell. Pet food can attract them to your yard.
Store pet food indoors or in tight fitting containers.
Trash
Secure trash containers with locking lids and place curbside morning of trash pick-up.
Don’t overflow trash bins. It’s a health hazard and provides easy access to coyotes and other foraging animals.
Periodically clean cans to reduce residual odors.
Compost Fully enclose compost bins.
Do not include meat or dairy among compost.
Ripened Fruit Pick ripened fruit from trees and ground. Protect fruit with tree netting.
Water Remove water attractants, such as pet water bowls.
BBQ Grills Clean food around barbeque grills after each use.
Bird Feeders Clean fallen seed to avoid the presence of small mammals that coyotes prefer to eat.
Overgrown
Landscaping
Trim vegetation/brush to clear hiding places and potential denning sites, especially before coyotes den (March).
SAFEGUARD PETS:
Dogs & Cats
Keep pets indoors when not supervised.
Walk pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet in length. Pets can enjoy time outdoors with the use of fully enclosed dog kennels and cat patios (catios).
PREVENT POTENTIAL HABITAT:
Micro urban habitats are small areas within a city that provide food, water, or shelter for wildlife to survive. Coyotes take advantage of these areas to:
hunt prey where small mammals gather, such as green belts, brush piles, overgrown gardens, and crawl spaces.
hide and move about using shelter as thoroughfares in their search for food.
When possible secure or remove potential habitat near your home: under decks, sheds, around woodpiles, shrubbery or any other structure that provide cover or dens for coyotes and their prey.
More information: www.TorranceCA.Gov/coyotes
Urban coyotes prefer to live in undeveloped green space but can travel 15 miles using shelter to cross city boundaries for easily accessible food and water.
Preventive practices, such as removing attractants, modifying habitat near residential areas and hazing (scaring) coyotes are key to minimizing conflict.