City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................................... 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................. 3 STRATEGY ....................................................................................................................................................................................................4 GUIDING PRINCIPLES.............................................................................................................................................................................4 CONTENT SUMMARY.............................................................................................................................................................................5 BACKGROUND................................................................................................................................. 6 IDENTIFICATION, HABITAT, AND BEHAVIORS..............................................................................................................................7 URBAN COYOTE INTERACTIONS WITH HUMANS...................................................................................................................10 COYOTE MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE...............................................................................11 MONITORING AND DATA COLLECTION........................................................................................................................................11 MINIMIZING COYOTE ATTRACTION FOR SAFE COEXISTENCE .......................................................................................12 PREVENTING COYOTE HABITUATION TO HUMANS ..............................................................................................................15 REDUCING THE RISK OF COYOTE ENCOUNTER......................................................................................................................16 COYOTE MANAGEMENT ENFORCEMENT ...................................................................................................................................17 INCIDENT RESPONSE ....................................................................................................................19 DETERMINING THE RESPONSE ..........................................................................................................................................................19 PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE.......................................................................................................................20 COYOTE INCIDENT AND RESPONSE MATRIX..........................................................................................................................20 EDUCATION AND OTHER PUBLIC RESOURCES ...................................................................23 APPENDIX A: PLAN DEFINITIONS.............................................................................................25 APPENDIX B: YARD AUDIT CHECKLIST.................................................................................. 27 APPENDIX C: COYOTE HAZING OVERVIEW.........................................................................28 City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Urban coyotes are here to stay. While many fear an attack from coyotes, such incidents are rare, and fatalities are rarer still. According to data from the Los Angeles County Department of Health, the risk of being bitten by a coyote in the County is less than 0.0001% per year. Only two human deaths have ever been attributed to coyotes across all recorded history in Canada and the United States. The most recent incident occurred in the United States over 40 years ago. Attempts to eradicate coyotes from urban areas would ultimately prove futile. As Dr. Niamh Quin, a leading researcher on urban coyotes, aptly puts it:
“You can’t kill your way out of this.” Whether we like it or not, coexisting with urban coyotes offers the most sustainable approach moving forward.
The City of Redondo Beach’s Coyote Management and Response Plan (CMRP) aims to establish a standardized, proactive, and repeatable strategy for the City to coexist with urban coyotes while prioritizing public safety. This plan provides essential insights into coyote behavior and outlines how the City can work to:
• Educate the community about urban coyotes and the CMRP • Monitor and share information on coyote activity in our community • Minimize the attractiveness of our community to coyotes • Discourage and prevent coyotes from associating humans with food • Reduce the risk of injury to pets and people
• Implement consistent and standardized responses to coyote incidents, proportional to the level of threat posed
• Uphold and enforce laws related to urban coyote behavior in the community
This plan draws upon published research, expert recommendations, and best management practices adopted by other communities. Its guidelines and provisions are designed to complement, not supersede, federal, state, and county regulations and policies.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
Strategy
The strategy for managing coyotes focuses on striking a balance between respecting wildlife and preserving their habitats while ensuring public safety.
This strategy is implemented through a four-pronged approach:
1. Ensure Public Safety: Create a safe environment for the community by prioritizing measures that safeguard public spaces.
2. Enhance Coyote Deterrence Efforts: Educate the community to reduce coyote attractants, promote pet safety, and reshape coyote behavior.
3. Public Outreach and Education: Foster coexistence through education on coyote behavior and deterrents, and maintain open communication with the community to support the Coyote Management Plan.
4. Active Monitoring and Data Collection: Track coyote-related observations, including confirmed and unconfirmed predations and sightings, to inform strategies and responses.
Guiding Principles
The following principles guide this CMRP:
• Human safety is a priority in managing human-coyote interactions. • Coyotes serve an important role in ecosystems by helping control the population of rodents.
• Preventive practices such as reducing and removing food attractants, modifying habitats, and responding appropriately when interacting with wildlife are key to minimizing potential interactions with coyotes. • Solutions for coyote conflicts should address both problematic coyote behaviors (such as aggression towards people and attacks on pets) and the problematic human behaviors (intentionally or unintentionally feeding coyotes and letting pets outside unattended) that contribute to conflicts.
• A community-wide program is necessary to reduce coyote, pet, and human interactions.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
Content Summary
Section II – Coyote Behavior
This section provides educational information on coyotes, including their identification, habitat, behaviors, reproduction, and family activity. It also explores how urban coyotes interact with humans.
Section III – Coyote Management and Response
This section outlines the city's coyote management strategy, which focuses on minimizing coyote attraction for safe coexistence, preventing coyote habituation to humans, and reducing the risk of a coyote encounter. The section also outlines the applicable laws and regulations for enforcement, and how the city will report and track coyote activity.
Section IV – Incident Response
This section describes the criteria used to define coyote-related incidents, ensuring that appropriate responses are implemented, particularly in emergencies where public safety is a priority. The section also includes the Coyote Behavior Response Matrix, which serves as a structured guide for assessing and addressing various levels of coyote interactions.
Section V – Education and Other Public Resources
This section describes the educational and other public resources available for learning about coyotes.
Appendix A: Plan Definitions
Defines terms used in the Coyote Management and Response Plan Appendix B: Yard Audit Checklist
A checklist residents can use to evaluate whether their yard is attractive to a coyote.
Appendix C: Coyote Hazing Overview
Provides additional information on hazing
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
BACKGROUND
The City of Redondo Beach does not own or have control of the wild animals found within its boundaries, nor is the City responsible for the actions or damage caused by them. Coyotes, native to the area, have successfully adapted to urban environments and play a vital role in local ecosystems as both apex and mesopredators. In recent years, coyote activity and incidents have increased in Redondo Beach and nearby communities. The exact cause remains uncertain but may be due to rising coyote populations, territorial expansion, habitat displacement from development, or a combination of these factors.
The Redondo Beach Police Department is responsible for responding to animalrelated incidents through Municipal Services Officers (MSOs) assigned to the Animal Services Division. Between August 2016 through August 2017, the City of Redondo Beach received approximately 150 reports of coyote-related events.
Among them, 12 cats and one privately owned fowl were killed. Two dogs were attacked (one in a backyard and another being walked on the street by an owner), but both survived. Municipal Services Officers believe additional incidents, particularly those involving missing cats, may have been coyoterelated based on patterns and recovered carcasses. Sightings and incidents continue today, and in 2024, the City learned of its first known coyote den within city limits.
Certain responses to coyote-human interactions are prohibited by law. For example, coyote relocation is not ecologically sound and is prohibited by state law under Title 14 CCR Sect. 465.5 (1). According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), relocated coyotes often do not survive, and those that do tend to disperse to other locations where they may cause problems to humans, be involved in territorial disputes, or introduce disease. In some cases, relocated coyotes attempt to return to their original territory. For these reasons, the CDFW rarely permits relocation. If removal is deemed necessary, humane trapping methods may be used in compliance with federal and state regulations. Once captured, a coyote must be either released on-site or euthanized within 24 hours.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
Efforts to eradicate coyotes have repeatedly failed. Despite the United States killing over 400,000 coyotes annually—roughly one per second for decades— populations have continued to grow rather than decline. As numbers increased, coyotes expanded their range, now inhabiting all 49 continental states, extending further into Canada and Alaska, and even crossing the Panama Canal.
Coyotes have adapted remarkably to urban environments, thriving in every major metropolitan area, including Central Park in Manhattan. No city has successfully eliminated or even significantly reduced coyote populations despite ongoing attempts.
Identification, Habitat, and Behaviors
IDENTIFICATION: Coyotes resemble dogs but have longer legs and a leaner build. Their tawny fur features black-tipped guard hairs, forming a dark stripe along their back and a shoulder band. Their throat and belly are lighter in color, while their forelegs, muzzle, feet, and sides of their head often appear reddish brown. A distinctive feature is their bushy tail, typically tipped in black, and their striking yellow eyes.
Figure 1. Adult coyote on the move.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
One way to differentiate coyotes from dogs is their running posture, coyotes tend to run with their tail straight out, while dogs usually hold theirs upright. Their legs are thin and longer than those of dogs, and their muzzle is narrower and convex. Additionally, coyotes lack the pronounced skull bulge seen in dogs when viewed from the side. Key identifiers include longer legs, a sleeker snout, a flatter forehead, and a fluffy tail held straight back. In the South Bay, adult coyotes typically weigh between 15 and 30 pounds, though their thick fur and long legs often make them appear larger than they actually are.
HABITAT: Coyotes are native to the area and have thrived here for thousands of years. They are the third most abundant species found at the La Brea Tar Pits, with skeletal remains dating back over 40,000 years to the Pleistocene Era, long before human settlement. An archeological survey at an indigenous village site at Malaga Cove uncovered coyote bones over 1,000 years old. The Tongva/Gabrielino people, who inhabited the area before Spanish explorers, called coyotes “iitar”. Early Spanish settlers documented the species, sometimes referring to them as “prairie wolves”. In 1863, Los Angeles author J.S.
Hittel described coyotes as:
“He is a great thief, and will steal the pillow under a sleeping man’s head; for it happens in California that bags of provision are often used as pillows…”
Even in 1863, Los Angeles residents had encounters with coyotes. As the city urbanized, coyotes adapted and thrived in the urban environment. In recent years, sightings and incidents have increased, but experts have yet to determine the exact root cause.
BEHAVIORS: Coyotes are social animals that live in family groups rather than forming packs of unaffiliated animals like wolves. The alpha pair mates annually in February, and by April, the alpha female will look for an existing den or dig a new one herself, which is used exclusively during pupping season. After about two months, the alpha female gives birth to four to seven pups, though litters can be larger. Coyote pups have a survival rate of 30% to 40% in their first year. Only the alpha pair reproduces unless one or both passes away.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
By late summer, the coyote pups begin hunting alone or with siblings, and the family abandons the den, seeking cover or sleeping in the open. Some family members will leave the family group between 6 months and 2 years of age, traveling long distances to join new groups or establish their own territories.
Coyotes are territorial, with minimal overlap between neighboring family groups. Territories vary based on habitat, food availability, and boundaries, with the “resident” coyotes maintaining a home range of 2 to 5 square miles, while “transient” coyotes roam over larger areas, averaging 10 square miles. Coyotes mark their territory by leaving scat (feces) deposits.
As social animals, coyotes frequently vocalize, especially near dens during pupping season. They use howling, barking, whining, and yipping to communicate and defend their territory. Small groups of 2 to 3 coyotes can distort their calls to create an illusion of a much larger pack. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, coyote vocalization does not signal an imminent or successful attack.
Except for pupping season, coyotes typically hunt alone or with another coyote.
Urban coyotes are opportunistic feeders, they eat rodents, rabbits, raccoons, Figure 2. Coyote pups playing outside of their den
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
opossums, fruit, human garbage, pet food, and small pets. Recent studies show that feeding stations for free-ranging and feral cats are big attractors of coyotes. Coyotes primarily hunt at dawn and dusk, but will hunt at any time of the day, especially during pupping season.
Coyotes play a critical role in local ecosystems by effectively regulating populations of small mammals and rodents, often more effectively than cats.
They also help to balance mesopredator populations, such as raccoons and opossums, which in turn supports the preservation of important ecosystem populations, including birds.
Urban Coyote Interactions with Humans
Coyotes have a natural fear of humans, and attacks on humans are rare. In Los Angeles County, which is home to 10 million people across over 4,000 square miles, coyotes remain elusive and difficult to track. In the early 2000s, it was estimated that approximately 5,000 coyotes were in the county. On average, fewer than 10 coyote attacks occur annually in Los Angeles County, and no bites have been documented in the South Bay. Fatal incidents are very rare, with only two human deaths recorded in the history of the United States and Canada.
The only fatality recorded in the United States occurred in 1981.
Coyote sightings and interactions generally increase during pupping season (February to August). During this time, adult coyotes hunt more to feed their growing pups. As the pups mature, they emerge from their dens to play and explore. Reports of larger coyote groups are also common during this period, as adult coyotes are teaching their pups to hunt and forage.
While coyotes generally avoid humans, certain conditions can lead to aggressive behavior, such as being cornered, defending their den, injury, illness, or associating humans with food. To minimize such risks, it is important for residents to avoid actions that encourage coyotes to associate humans with food.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
COYOTE MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE
The City of Redondo Beach's coyote management and response strategy seeks to balance wildlife protection and habitat preservation with public safety. This approach is built on three key pillars: (1) educating the public on coexistence with coyotes, (3) enforcing laws that prohibit wildlife feeding, and (2) implementing tiered responses to coyote-human interactions to safeguard the community.
Monitoring and Data Collection
Effective monitoring and data collection are essential for developing a successful coyote response plan. By documenting frequent coyote sightings and identifying human-coyote conflict hotspots, this approach enables targeted educational campaigns, conflict mitigation efforts, and measurable progress in reducing incidents over time.
Redondo Beach Animal Services plays a key role by recording and tracking coyote-related calls for service. To ensure a timely and accurate response, residents are strongly encouraged to report coyote encounters immediately.
This allows responding officers to observe and monitor the area effectively and take appropriate actions.
Coyote sightings and/or incidents can be reported by:
Non-Emergency reporting Call Redondo Beach Animal Services dispatch (310) 379-2477 ext. 6
After-hours Non-Emergency
reporting
Email Redondo Beach Animal Services at
[email protected]
Include “Coyote-Date-Time-Location” in the
subject line
Or Call Redondo Beach Police Dispatch
(310) 379-5411
Emergency reporting Call 911
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
The Redondo Beach Police Department is responsible for compiling reports on coyote activity. Periodic reports will be made available on the City’s Coyote Dashboard, which tracks coyote incident data based on public reports and calls.
Residents can also report coyote sightings and incidents through the Coyote Cacher, a regional tool managed by the University of California. This system records coyote sightings, incidents, and attacks, and offers an interactive map of coyote encounter locations and details in the region. Additionally, researchers use Coyote Cacher data to study urban coyote behavior, while neighboring cities can use it to monitor coyote activity near their borders.
Please note that the data recorded on the Coyote Cacher is not verified.
Minimizing Coyote Attraction for Safe Coexistence
Coyotes generally have an instinctive fear of humans, but some may become overly comfortable in urban environments, losing their natural wariness. This habituation is often due to intentional or unintentional feeding, urban development, pet-related incidents, and media attention, which can heighten public concern. While human attacks are rare, coyotes have long been present in Redondo Beach and other parts of Southern California.
Coyotes often become habituated when they associate people and neighborhoods with easily accessible food sources. This behavior is reinforced when humans fail to respond appropriately upon encountering a coyote. For safe coexistence, it is crucial to reshape habituated coyote behavior, conditioning them to avoid humans and pets. Preventative efforts such as correcting misunderstandings, practicing responsible waste disposal, and removing outdoor food sources play a key role in discouraging habituation and minimizing potential safety risks.
Coyotes are drawn to urban and suburban areas by the following:
1. Food/Trash. Urban areas provide a bounty of natural food choices for coyotes, who primarily eat rodents such as mice and rats. However, coyotes can be further attracted into suburban neighborhoods by human-associated food such as pet food, unsecured compost or trash, City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
and fallen fruit in yards. Intentional and unintentional feeding can lead coyotes to associate humans with sources of food, which can result in negative interactions among coyotes, people, and pets.
2. Water. Urban areas provide a year-round supply of water in the form of stormwater impoundments and channels, artificial lakes, irrigation, pet water dishes, etc., which support both coyotes and their prey.
3. Access to shelter. Parks, greenbelts, open spaces, golf courses, buildings, sheds, decks, and crawl spaces, etc., increase the amount and variability of cover for coyotes. They allow coyotes to safely and easily remain close to people, pets, homes, and businesses without detection.
4. Pets. Pets are a normal part of an urban landscape. Within their territory, coyotes may consider pets as potential prey or potential competitors. a. Cats. Coyotes mainly eat small mammals like mice and rats, but also hunt larger prey, including rabbits and raccoons. Outdoor cats, being similar in size to rabbits, can be seen as prey. This behavior is natural for coyotes and doesn't indicate increased danger to humans.
i. Feral/stray cats. People feeding feral cats often worry about coyotes, and studies confirm their attraction to feeding stations due to food availability, cat density, and consistent feeding patterns.
b. Dogs. Dogs can encounter coyotes, especially those accustomed to humans or defending territory during pupping/denning season (February - August). Small, unattended dogs may be seen as prey, while larger dogs could face territorial attacks. To reduce risks, prevent unsupervised outdoor access for pets, and keep dogs leashed (six feet or less) in public areas.
c. Other domestic animals. Coyotes may see chickens and rabbits as prey, attracting them to yards. Use secure enclosures, fencing, City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
and predator-proof housing, reduce food sources, and fix gaps in outdoor structures to deter them.
The following table outlines preventative measures to help deter coyotes:
CATEGORY PREVENTATIVE MEASURE(S)
Food/Trash Do not hand feed coyotes
Avoid feeding pets outside and promptly remove leftover food Do not compost meat or dairy unless secured
Regularly clean areas around bird feeders
Remove fallen fruit
Store trash in high-quality containers with tight-fitting lids and place curbside only on collection day
Securely bag attractive food waste
Water Remove outdoor pet water bowls
Make watering cans unavailable
Access to
Shelter
Block access to potential denning sites
Ensure crawlspace, under decks and porches, and sheds are all sealed to prevent coyote entry
Remove debris and trim landscaping that may provide cover Pets Keep small pets indoors or enclosed outdoors (i.e., catio) Do not leave pets unattended outdoors, even in fenced yards, as coyotes are capable of scaling fences up to 8 feet tall. Protect outdoor domestic animals (e.g., rabbits, chickens) with protective fencing and sturdy enclosures that are not
susceptible to digging
Clean up animal waste in your yard quickly
Remove food and water
Keep pets on a leash (6 feet or less) and avoid walking your pet near known coyote dens and dense brush areas during
pupping season
Feral/stray
Cats
It is illegal to feed feral cats
Spay and neuter cats to control populations
Ensure outdoor cats have identification and microchips Prevent cats from roaming freely
Contact local rescue organizations for support
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
In addition to the actions described in the table above, residents are encouraged to use the Yard Audit Checklist (Appendix B) as a tool to help recognize and remove attractants in their yards and neighborhoods.
Preventing Coyote Habituation to Humans
Coyotes can still become habituated over time, growing more comfortable in close proximity to humans. While this behavior is not inherently dangerous, it does increase the risk of incidents and potential aggressive encounters. To prevent this, experts recommend consistent “hazing,” a technique designed to reinforce a coyote’s natural fear of humans.
Hazing, also known as “fear conditioning,” requires an effort to create negative encounters with coyotes. This method uses immediate deterrents, such as loud noises, water sprays, bright lights, object throwing, and shouting, to drive coyotes away, discourage close contact, and prevent undesirable behaviors.
Hazing helps ensure coyotes avoid residential areas like backyards and playgrounds, all without causing harm to animals, people, or property. The more frequently an individual coyote is hazed, the more effective the conditioning becomes in deterring unwanted behaviors.
Information regarding an introduction to coyote ecology, basic information about hazing, and demonstrations of techniques can be found on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website. An understanding of coyote behavior can set realistic expectations and assist with differentiating normal from abnormal coyote behavior.
Behavioral change and hazing include the following:
• Pet owners could take steps to ensure their animals' safety, as off-leash or unattended dogs, outdoor cats, and pet food may attract coyotes. • Hazing needs to be active for a sustained period of time to achieve the desired change for the highest possible long-term success. • Hazing requires monitoring to assess its effectiveness and to determine if further action or more aggressive hazing is needed.
For additional details on hazing, see Appendix C.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
Reducing the Risk of Coyote Encounter
Coyote attacks on humans are rare. However, certain actions may help reduce the likelihood of an attack and minimize potential injury. The following table outlines measures that can lower these risks:
SITUATION ACTION
Precautions • Avoid known active coyote den areas
• Avoid dense brush during pupping/denning season
• Watch toddlers and small pets near dense brush
during pupping/denning season
Facing an aggressive
coyote
• Do not turn back or run from the coyote
• Back away slowly and make yourself appear larger by
raising your hands above your head and waving them
• Alert neighbors, yell “help, aggressive coyote!”
• Pick up small children or pets; keep large pets close by, shortening their leash
• Use a noise maker
• Throw an object at the coyote, spray it with water, or shine a bright light or strobe in its eyes
Coyote attack • If attacked, fight back (go for eyes, throat, and belly) using hands, keys, or any available object
• Alert neighbors, yell “help, coyote attack!”
• Call 911 if you are able
• Do not run, move slowly, and back toward a safe area
or weapon
Sick or injured coyote Avoid the coyote and call Animal Services Coyotes are naturally skittish, but habituation is learned. Sick or injured coyotes may behave unpredictably, so avoid engagement and contact authorities when necessary.
If you see an injured coyote or a coyote acting strangely, avoid contact and call the Redondo Beach Animal Services at 310-379-2477 ext. 6.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
Coyote Management Enforcement
Feeding wildlife, whether intentional or unintentional, contributes to heightened wildlife activity. This behavior can attract coyotes and their prey to certain areas, increasing the risk of habituated coyotes and frequent human-coyote encounters. Such practices are prohibited under California law, and Redondo Beach Animal Services is committed to enforcing these regulations along with any relevant county or municipal laws.
Residents are encouraged to report coyote sightings or incidents by contacting Redondo Beach Animal Services at (310) 379-2477 ext. 6, emailing [email protected], or, for after-hours assistance, contacting Redondo Beach Police Dispatch at (310) 379-5411.
For after-hours EMERGENCIES, call 911
The table on the next page lists and summarizes key regulations:
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
CODE SUMMARY
California Penal Code 597 Prohibits harassment and cruelty to animals.
Violations can result in fines, imprisonment, or
both.
California Penal Code 597.1 Allows authorities to intervene and provide care for neglected or abandoned animals, ensuring
their health and safety while addressing situations
that may pose risks to public welfare. Violations
can result in fines, imprisonment, or both.
California Fish and Game Code
Section 251.1.
Prohibits harassing, herding, or driving any game
or non-game mammal, which includes coyotes.
Violations can result in lead to fines, citations, or
misdemeanor charges.
Los Angeles County
Section 10.84.010
Prohibits feeding certain non-domesticated
rodents or mammalian predators, like coyotes.
Redondo Beach Municipal Code
Section 4 – 35.08
Prohibits killing, injuring, or mistreating wild or
domestic animals in parks, unless done by
authorized city employees managing nuisance
wildlife under legal protections. Also prohibits
abandoning any animal, whether alive or dead,
within park boundaries.
Redondo Beach Municipal Code
Section 5 - 1.103
Requires dogs to be on a leash no longer than 6
feet when in public or unenclosed private areas.
Redondo Beach Municipal Code
Section 5 – 2. 105
Requires garbage and refuse to be properly stored
and contained.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
INCIDENT RESPONSE
An incident is described as a conflict between a human and a coyote where the coyote exhibits the following behavior: coyote approaches a human and growls, bares teeth, or lunges; injures or kills an escorted/on‐leash pet. When human injury occurs, it is defined as an “attack.”
The Redondo Beach Animal Services handles reports involving sick or injured coyotes, as well as public safety concerns. These may include coyotes that threaten people or rest in areas commonly frequented by the public, such as yards, parks, playgrounds, or schools. In the event of a coyote attack that results in physical injury to a person, Redondo Beach Animal Services may collaborate with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. As the lead investigating agency, they can thoroughly investigate the incident, identify the responsible coyote(s), and take appropriate action.
Determining the Response
The approach to handling coyote incidents depends on the circumstances:
• Unprovoked Attacks: If an attack is unprovoked and presents an ongoing threat to human safety, Redondo Beach Animal Services will determine the necessary action:
o Possible measures include notifying the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and contracting a certified trapper o Redondo Beach Animal Services will not engage in any attempts at general culling; only specific animals will be targeted. • Provoked Attacks: If an attack is provoked, Redondo Beach Animal Services can assess whether there is a continued danger to human safety:
o The initial response may range from increased public education to notifying CDFW and engaging a certified trapper.
o If a coyote is removed by CDFW or the City’s certified trapper, Redondo Beach Animal Services will evaluate and determine what educational measures and hazing techniques may need to be City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
modified to decrease any reoccurrence. The assistance or guidance of coyote experts may be utilized.
• Ongoing Response Efforts: If risks persist, Redondo Beach Animal Services may implement additional measures, such as:
o Expanded or targeted public education (flyers, mailers, press releases, public meetings).
o Hazing techniques to deter coyotes from frequenting populated areas.
Public Safety and Emergency Response
The Redondo Beach Animal Services is responsible for handling reports related to sick or injured coyotes and addressing public safety concerns. If a coyote poses a direct threat to people or is found resting in high-traffic areas such as yards, parks, playgrounds, or schools, the need for intervention can be assessed. In situations where firearm use becomes necessary to protect public safety, Redondo Beach Animal Services can collaborate with Redondo Beach Police Department first responders to coordinate an appropriate response.
No private individual is permitted to discharge a firearm within Redondo Beach city limits.
Coyote Incident and Response Matrix
To ensure effective management and appropriate response levels, the CMRP includes a tiered response framework: the Coyote Incident and Response Matrix. This matrix outlines how City staff can respond to coyote encounters, incidents, and attacks. The matrix ensures a standardized, repeatable response that is commensurate with each type of coyote encounter.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
COYOTE BEHAVIOR
THREAT
LEVEL
CITY RESPONSE &
ACTION
MITIGATION, RESOURCES, OR
ENFORCEMENT
Heard (howling, yipping, etc.)
GREEN • Monitor activity
• Encourage residents to
report sightings
• Remove attractants, if
necessary
Seen moving, or resting in public areas,
distanced from people or pets
Seen moving or resting in an area
close to people
• Haze, if necessary
• Remove attractants, if
necessary
Denning/pupping is remote from the
public.
• Install signs, if applicable
• Clear brush/den after
denning season
Entering a private yard with no pets or
people present
YELLOW
• Monitor activity
• Educate on pet
safety information &
yard audit checklist
• Remove attractants, if
necessary
• Haze, if necessary
• Enforce leash laws
• Enforce private property
condition violations
• Eliminate conditions on
public property that may
harbor/shelter coyotes
Entering a private yard and injuring or
killing an unattended pet
Following or approaching a person with
or without a pet (stalking or escorting)
Injuring or killing an unattended, freeroaming pet or a pet on a leash longer than 6 feet
Denning/pupping is in close proximity
to the public.
• Install signs, if applicable
• Clear brush/den after
denning season
• Assess other mitigations
Biting or injuring an attended pet
ORANGE
• Attempt to identify
and track the
responsible coyote
• Monitor behavior
and location
• Report incident to
CA Dept of Fish and
Wildlife
• Issue Neighborhood Watch
& social media alerts
• Haze
• Consult with the CA Dept
of Fish and Wildlife or a
coyote expert
• Lethal removal or capture
may be considered
Aggressive to a person (showing teeth,
back fur raised, lunging, nipping)
without contact
Biting or injuring a person
RED
• Attempt to identify
and track the
responsible coyote
• Report incident to
CA Dept of Fish and
Wildlife and LA
County Department
of Health
• Consult with the CA Dept
of Fish and Wildlife
• Lethal removal or capture
is considered
Sick or injured coyote
• Animal services to
remove or enlist aid
in removing the
coyote
• Report to CA Dept of Fish
and Wildlife
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
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City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
EDUCATION AND OTHER PUBLIC RESOURCES
Education plays a valuable role in guiding residents to make thoughtful decisions about their safety and the care of their property and pets. Key objectives include reducing factors that might attract coyotes, promoting pet safety, and encouraging a better understanding of typical coyote behavior.
Through education on how to respond appropriately to coyote interactions, residents can help reduce behaviors in coyotes that are seen as undesirable.
Public awareness efforts strive to provide clarity on normal coyote behaviors, such as howling, which is a natural and non-threatening form of communication.
The City’s efforts may focus on:
• Promoting Safety Measures: Providing guidance on human and pet safety, identifying coyote attractants, effectively using deterrents, and implementing exclusion techniques such as proper fencing. This includes practical advice on hazing techniques and appropriate actions during coyote encounters.
• Raising Awareness: Developing a shared understanding of typical versus unusual coyote behaviors (see Appendix A).
• Disseminating Information: Sharing educational content through various communication platforms, including the City’s website, cable channel, social media, traditional media outlets, fliers, handouts, and mailers.
• Targeted Outreach: Distributing specific materials to neighborhoods dealing with distinct coyote-related situations, such as nearby dens or increased activity.
The City also maintains dedicated webpages where residents can access this plan, along with additional educational materials. Public education initiatives may be coordinated under the leadership of Redondo Beach Animal Services, which can engage with community members to share updates on coyote activity, seasonal patterns, and strategies for coexistence. By fostering a wellinformed community, the City aims to enhance safety, reduce conflicts, and support a balanced coexistence with local wildlife.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
Additional resources on coyotes include the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Watch Program and the previously mentioned Coyote Cacher.
The Wildlife Watch Program is modeled after Neighborhood Watch and focuses on addressing and reducing human-wildlife conflicts across the state. The program emphasizes community participation, education, and proactive measures to foster coexistence with wildlife.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
APPENDIX A: PLAN DEFINITIONS
Encounter Definitions
• Attack: a coyote biting a human.
o Provoked Attack: A human-provoked attack or incident where the human involved encourages the coyote to engage.
Examples include dogs off-leash in an on-leash area, dogs on leashes longer than six feet in length, or a human intentionally corners, injures, tries to injure, attempts to capture, or feeds the coyote. o Unprovoked Attack: An unprovoked attack or incident where the human involved does not encourage the coyote to engage.
• Encounter: any situation in which a coyote is observed by a human that does not involve human threat or injury.
• Hazing: a behavior modification method that employs the use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage undesirable behavior or activity. • Incident: an encounter with a human that involves abnormally close proximity to a human or represents a threat to a human. Incidents include coyote predation on pets attended by a human.
• Observation: the act of noticing or taking note of tracks, scat, or vocalizations. • Sighting: a visual observation of a coyote(s). A sighting may occur at any time of the day or night.
Pet Related Definitions
• Attended domestic animal: when a person is within six feet of the pet and the pet is on a leash. Or when a person is in close proximity to a pet in a fenced yard. • Catio: an outdoor enclosure designed to contain cats when outdoors. • Coyote-proof enclosure: a sturdy enclosure for pets or domesticated animals that prevents coyote entry through brute force, jumping into, or digging under. • Depredation: a coyote killing a domestic animal
o Unconfirmed depredation: when a Coyote is seen eating or carrying a dead domestic animal, but there is no way to discern whether the coyote killed the animal or the coyote scavenged the animal.
• Scavenging: when a coyote feeds on a pet or other animal that was already dead. • Unattended domestic animal: when a pet is off-leash, free roaming, or on a leash greater than six feet in length.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
Coyote Behavior Definitions
• Aggressive behavior: when a coyote approaches a human and growls, bares its teeth, lunges, has the hair on its back raised, snaps, or when a coyote injures an attended pet. Coyotes may defend their dens aggressively and consider dogs a particular threat near the den.
• Curiosity: coyotes are extremely curious animals and may follow or watch what people are doing, especially when they have a pet with them. Many people mistake curiosity for stalking.
• Denning/Pupping Season: February to August each year, when coyotes give birth to and raise their pups in a den.
• Escorting behavior: when a coyote parallels your activity in the vicinity of its den. It is making sure you are not going to threaten the den.
• Stalking behavior: the actions of a coyote intent on taking prey are characterized by total focus and stealthy, silent, and slinky movements toward the target, especially when it is not watching the coyote.
General Definitions
• Coexistence: humans take an active role in keeping coyotes wild by learning about coyote ecology and behavior, removing attractants, taking responsibility for pet safety, and hazing coyotes in neighborhood or community spaces (except for predetermined coyote-appropriate areas).
• Unsecured Trash/Garbage/Refuse: trash that is accessible to wildlife (e.g., individual garbage cans, uncovered or open dumpsters or bags, trash cans overflowing, or where scattered trash is outside the receptacle).
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
APPENDIX B: YARD AUDIT CHECKLIST
Residents are encouraged to take proactive measures to eliminate attractants and reduce conflicts with coyotes. Sharing this information with friends and neighbors is essential, as minimizing conflicts is most effective when the entire community works together.
CHECK OK FIX WAYS TO MITIGATE
FOOD SOURCES Do not hand-feed or intentionally feed a coyote.
Pet Food Avoid feeding pets outdoors; store all pet food securely indoors.
Water Sources Remove water attractants (such as pet water bowls) in dry climates.
Bird Feeders Remove bird feeders or clean fallen seed to reduce the presence of rodents that coyotes prefer to eat.
Fallen Fruit Clean up fallen fruit around fruit trees.
Compost Do not include meat or dairy among compost contents unless fully enclosed.
BBQ Grills Clean up food around barbecue grills after each use.
Trash Secure all trash containers with locking lids and place them curbside the morning of trash pickup. Periodically clean cans to reduce residual odors.
LANDSCAPING Trim vegetation to reduce hiding places and potential denning sites.
Structures &
Outbuildings
Restrict access under decks and sheds, crawlways, around woodpiles, or any other structure that can provide cover or denning sites for coyotes or their prey.
FENCING Enclose the property with a 6-foot fence with an additional extension or roller-top. Ensure that there are no gaps and that the bottom of the fence extends underground 6 inches or is fitted with a mesh apron to deter coyotes from digging
underneath.
*Must comply with City of Redondo Beach Municipal Codes PETS Do not leave pets unattended outside.
Do not allow pets to “play” with coyotes.
Fully enclose outdoor pet kennels.
Walk pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet in length.
Redondo Beach Animal Services: 310-379-2477 ext.6 I [email protected] Redondo Beach Police Department Dispatch: 310-379-5411
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
APPENDIX C: COYOTE HAZING OVERVIEW
Foundation of Hazing
a. It is not economically, ecologically, or in other ways efficient to try and eradicate coyotes from the urban ecosystem.
b. Hazing is one piece of a long-term plan in creating safe and acceptable living situations, increasing understanding, and reducing conflict between coyotes and people.
Goals of Hazing
a. To reshape coyote behavior to avoid human contact in an urban setting. Human behavior can shape animal behavior in either a negative or positive manner. People living in close proximity to coyotes can remove coyote attractants, identify potentially dangerous situations for their pets and themselves, and respond in a manner designed to change coyote behavior.
b. To provide residents with information and tools to actively engage in reshaping coyote behavior and to support feeling safe in their parks and neighborhoods. c. To model hazing behavior and share accurate information about coyotes among other residents.
d. Monitor hazing to assess its effectiveness and determine if further action or more aggressive hazing is needed.
e. Develop long-term community-based hazing programs
General Considerations
a. Hazing can be more exaggerated, aggressive, and consistent when first beginning a program of hazing. As coyotes “learn” appropriate responses to hazing, it will take less effort from hazers. Early in the process, it is extremely common for coyotes not to respond to hazing techniques. Without a history of hazing, they do not have the relevant context to respond in the desired outcome (to leave). b. Techniques and tools can be used in the same manner for one or multiple coyotes.
Usually, there is a dominant coyote in a group who will respond; others will follow its lead. DO NOT ignore, turn your back, or avoid hazing because there are multiple animals instead of a single individual.
c. The more often an individual coyote is hazed by a variety of tools and techniques and a variety of people, the more effective hazing will be in changing that animal’s future behavior.
City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
d. Hazing may be directly associated with the person involved in the hazing actions. The coyote can be aware of where the potential threat is coming from and identify the person.
e. Coyotes can and do recognize individual people and animals in their territories. They can learn to avoid or harass specific individuals in response to the behavior of the person and/or pet.
f. Coyotes can be routine in habits. Identifying their normal habits can help target which habits to change. For example, the coyote patrols the same bike path at the same time in the morning, three to five days a week. Hazers should concentrate on that time and place to encourage the animal to adapt its routine to decrease contact with people.
g. Certain levels of hazing can be maintained so that future generations of coyotes do not learn or return to unacceptable habits related to habituation to people. h. Human behavior can change to support hazing and continued identification and, if necessary, remove possible attractants.
i. Education about exclusion techniques, including how to identify and remove attractants, personal responsibility in pet safety, and having reasonable expectations, is a critical part of a coyote hazing plan. j. Coyotes are skittish by nature. Habituated behavior is learned and reinforced by human behavior. Coyotes, as a rule, DO NOT act aggressively towards aggressive people. The one exception is a sick or injured animal. Engaging a sick or injured animal can result in unpredictable behavior. If this is suspected, people should not engage and remove themselves from the situation, then immediately contact Redondo Beach Police Department Dispatch at (310) 379-5411 or dial 911.
Defining Hazing
a. Hazing is a process whereby individuals respond in like manner to make a coyote uncomfortable and choose to leave a situation where their presence is unwanted. b. Basic hazing consists of standing your ground, never ignoring or turning your back to a coyote(s), yelling and making unpleasant and frightening noises until the animal(s) choose to leave.
c. More aggressive hazing consists of approaching an animal quickly and aggressively, throwing projectiles, spraying with a hose or water gun, or creating fear of contact so the animal leaves the situation.
d. Hazing may continue once it begins until the animal leaves, otherwise, the coyote will learn to “wait” until the person gives up. Not following through with hazing will create City of Redondo Beach
Coyote Management and Response Plan
an animal more resistant to hazing instead of reinforcing the image that “people are scary.”
e. Hazing should never injure the animal. An injured animal becomes less predictable than a normal, healthy one that responds in a consistent and predictable manner to hazing.
f. Hazing should be conducted in a manner that allows the coyote to return to its normal habitat in a direction that would minimize harm to the animal. Hazing the animal in the direction of other houses and busy streets should be avoided. g. Hazing uses a variety of different hazing tools. This is critical as coyotes get used to individual items and sounds.
a. Noisemakers: Voice, whistles, air horns, bells, “shaker” cans, pots, pie pans b. Projectiles: sticks, small rocks, cans, tennis balls, rubber balls c. Deterrents: hoses, spray bottles with vinegar, pepper spray, bear repellent, walking sticks
General Coyote Hazing Actions for Residents
The following table illustrates actions a resident can take when they encounter a coyote in close proximity (within 150 feet).:
STANDARD HAZING ACTIONS
Do not turn back or run from the coyote
Back away slowly and make yourself appear larger by raising your hands above your head and waving them
Alert neighbors, yell “help, aggressive coyote!”
Pick up small children or pets; keep large pets close by, shortening their leash Use a noise maker
Throw an object at the coyote, spray it with water, or shine a bright light or strobe in its eyes Make loud noises, use noise-making devices if you have any nearby Source: CA Department of Fish and Wildlife; Wildlife Watch A common concern with hazing involves potential danger to the hazer. A coyote’s basic nature is very skittish, and the nature of the species is what makes this technique successful.
A normal, healthy coyote will not escalate a situation with an aggressive person. Hazing is NOT successful with every species of wild animal because different types of animals have different traits.