Wildlife
Management
Framework
San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
Sophia Sousa
Management Aide
[email protected]
Vanessa Guerra
Management Aide
Contact information:
PAGE 219 of 24
San Gabriel Valley Wildlife Management
Framework
Section 1: Introduction and Guiding Principles 2
Section 2: Public Education & Outreach 3
2.1 Attractants 4
2.2 Deterrents 6
2.3 Pet Protection 7
2.4 Laws & Ordinances 7
Section 3: Response & Reporting 7
Section 4: Behavior Modification & Hazing 8
Section 5: Feral-Domestic Animals 9
Section 6: Relevant Laws 12
Appendices
Appendix A: Hazing and Other General Considerations for Wildlife Encounters 13 Appendix B: Practical Hazing/Deterrent Tools and Methods 22 Appendix C: Wildlife Yard Audit 23
Appendix D: Wildlife Safety Response Plan Template 24
Appendix E: Black Bear Safety Response Plan Template 26 Appendix F: Sample Ordinances to Prohibit the Feeding of Wildlife 28 Appendix G: California and Los Angeles County Codes Regarding Feeding and Trapping Wildlife 34 Appendix H: Sample Ordinance Regarding Trapping Wildlife in the City Of Los Angeles 35 Appendix I: List of SGVCOG Member Agencies’ Coyote Management Plans 36 Appendix J: Additional Resources and Management Plans on Coexisting with Wildlife 36
Section 1: Introduction & Guiding Principles
The purpose of the San Gabriel Valley Wildlife Management Framework (WMF) is to provide guidance for coexisting with wildlife in the San Gabriel Valley region. The main goal of the WMF is to discourage the habituation of wildlife in an urban environment by using education, behavior modification, and a robust human/wildlife reporting and responding system. The recommended actions in this WMF are designed to increase communities’ knowledge and understanding of how wild animals behave and to make clear how such behavior can be managed or reduced to eliminate human conflicts with wildlife.
This framework has been modeled after plans that were utilized by other municipalities in Southern California, including the 2019 San Gabriel Valley Coyote Management Framework. This framework does not supersede federal, state, county, and city regulations and policies. Additionally, this framework does not apply to San Gabriel Valley residents, businesses, or homeowner associations in pursuit of their legal rights in dealing with wildlife.
Wild animals exist throughout the San Gabriel valley, yet cities are not responsible for the actions or damage caused by them. Wild animals are a common and an integral part of our ecosystem, biosphere and the circle of life. They transcend city boundaries, which is why using a regional management approach is so important. Common types of wildlife observed in the San Gabriel Valley vary from apex predators and tertiary consumers, such as coyotes, black bears, mountain lions, and bobcats, to othe-r secondary and primary consumers, including deer, opossums, raccoons, and skunks. Apex predators and tertiary consumers include animals that are at the “top” of the food chain, meaning they are not preyed upon by other animals. Secondary consumers include omnivores, meaning they eat meat and plants, that are both preyed upon and prey on other animals. Primary consumers include herbivores, meaning they only eat plants. Feral-domestic animals (FDAs), such as feral cats and peafowl, are prevalent as well. Table 1 lists each of these animals and their classification. As a result, humans, wild animals, and FDAs each share the same living space, inevitably leading to wild/feral animal-human interactions. This framework outlines how to safely coexist with the multitude of animals living in the San Gabriel Valley.
Table 1–Trophic Levels of Animals Commonly Found in the San Gabriel Valley Classification (Trophic Level) Associated Animals
Apex Predators/Tertiary Consumers Black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats Secondary Consumers Wildlife: opossums, skunks, raccoons, rattlesnakes FDAs: feral cats and peafowl
Primary Consumers Deer, wild rabbits, tree squirrels
As recommended by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), this WMF is guided by the following principles:
● Human safety is a priority in managing human-wildlife interactions. ● Wildlife serves an important role in San Gabriel Valley’s ecosystems. ● Preventive practices are crucial to minimizing potential interactions and encounters with wildlife.
● Solutions for wildlife conflicts must address both problematic wildlife behaviors and the human behaviors that invite them.
● Non-selective wildlife removal programs are ineffective for reducing wildlife population sizes or preventing human-wildlife conflicts in the long run.
● Regionwide programs that involve residents can improve coexistence among humans, wildlife, and pets.
The strategy for this framework is based on balancing respect and protection of wildlife without compromising public safety. It focuses on public education and outreach, as well as responding appropriately during and after encounters with wildlife.
Section 2: Public Education & Outreach
Wildlife awareness education is critical for residents to make informed decisions regarding their safety, properties, and pets by decreasing attractants, reshaping wildlife behavior, and creating reasonable expectations of normal wildlife behavior. Dissemination of information to residents, businesses, and schools will be accomplished through the use of the cities’ websites, newsletters, social media, press releases, town halls, community meetings, wildlife management workshops, and other direct and indirect public outreach campaigns.
Learning how to properly and effectively respond to a wildlife encounter empowers residents and supports reshaping undesired wildlife behavior. The public should understand what normal wildlife behavior is when living in close proximity to wildlife. For example, coyote vocalization is a normal and acceptable behavior that does not indicate aggression.
Local Government Best Practices for Wildlife Public Outreach ● Maintain a wildlife encounter response system (via phone and/or email) in which useful information may be provided.
● Host town hall meetings and provide educational workshops on wildlife safety and coexistence in communities with high human-wildlife interactions. ● Events should be tailored to the needs of each city, depending on the kinds of wildlife they most commonly experience.
● Distribute information regarding wildlife to residents and households in areas with high wildlife sightings.
● Information (mailers, social media posts, flyers, brochures, etc.) should be offered in English and other languages that are widely spoken by local residents. ● City websites should include web pages with relevant information and resources on wildlife management.
Cities are also encouraged to participate in the CDFW Wildlife Watch program. Wildlife Watch is a program that is modeled after the National Neighborhood Watch program. It allows residents and local agencies to address and resolve human-wildlife conflicts in their own community. Residents will need to complete required training and will be provided with support to develop an integrated wildlife
management plan specific to their needs. For more information on the wildlife watch please visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/wildlife-watch.
The following are key wildlife coexistence topics on which the public should be educated.
2.1 Attractants
While wild animals’ attacks on humans are extremely rare, urban landscape development, intentional and unintentional feeding, pet-related incidents, and media attention have led some residents to fear certain kinds of wildlife in the San Gabriel Valley, namely coyotes and black bears. It is important to note the normal behaviors of certain wildlife, for example, attacks on free-roaming and unattended small pets are normal coyote behavior and do not necessarily indicate a danger for humans. Black bears will only come to urban areas when seeking food, so it is crucial to remove all possible food sources that may be accessible. So long as wildlife do not show signs of habituation and/or unprompted aggression, coexistence with wildlife is possible.
Coexistence refers to the ability to live with wild animals while maintaining their natural fear of humans.
It does not mean living with animals in a way that promotes or creates their habituation.
Habituation typically occurs when wild animals associate people/neighborhoods with resources, such as food, water, or shelter, and as a result, lose their natural fear of humans. These resources are often called attractants. Habituation happens over time, and it can be attributed to unintentional/intentional feeding and the lack of reaction when faced with a wild animal. Habituation is dangerous, as habituated animals are less predictable and more comfortable around humans. Luckily, animal behavior can be shaped by human behavior. Residents should do their best to remove all wildlife attractants from their neighborhoods and keep their yards well-maintained, signaling to wildlife that it is not advantageous to live in their neighborhood. They must also act appropriately when confronted with wildlife. For more information on responding during wildlife encounters, see Section 3 and Appendices A and B.
The following subsections detail attractants related to food, water, and shelter. Residents should do their best1to remove these attractants from their yards/neighborhoods:
Food
Urban areas provide a bounty of natural food choices for wildlife. It has been shown that wildlife will often forage on their natural food items even in an urban setting. However, human-associated food such as pet food, bird feed, unsecured compost or trash and fallen fruit in parks and yards, provide quick and easy access to calories, which result in wildlife favoring human food sources.
Intentional and unintentional feeding can lead wildlife to associate humans with sources of food, which can result in negative and aggressive interactions among wildlife, people, and pets. Unintentional feeding occurs when residents fail to remove potential food sources from their properties. 1 Residents living near black bears should be especially strict when removing wildlife attractants. Black bears have a keen sense of smell, with a radius of, at the very least, over one mile (National Parks Service, https://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/Bear-Series-Part-One-A-Bears-Sense-of-Smell.htm).
To reduce food attractants in urban and suburban areas, residents should be educated to on the following Do’s and Don’ts:
Do…
● Maintain good housekeeping, such as regularly raking areas around bird feeders and trimming overgrown foliage.
● Harvest fruit off trees as soon as it is ripe, and promptly collect fruit that falls. ● Keep trash in high-quality containers with tight-fitting lids. ● Only place trash bins curbside during the morning of trash collection. If left out overnight, trash bins are more likely to be tipped over and broken into. ● Keep barbecue grills clean and stored in a garage or shed when not in use. ● Bring pets in at night and provide safe and secure quarters for livestock. ● Compost food waste in fully and properly secured bins. Residents near black bears will need bear-resistant compost containers.
Don’t…
● Hand-feed or feed cats, squirrels, peafowl, deer or any other wildlife or feral domestic animal– this will attract larger kinds of wildlife, like coyotes and bears, to your neighborhood. ● Feed pets outside. If feeding pets outside is necessary, remove the feeding bowl and any leftover food promptly.
● Toss food scraps out into the yard
In addition to the recommendations listed above, residents living within close proximity to bears should be advised to implement the following recommendations:
● Purchase and properly use a bear-resistant garbage container. ● If you must, hang bird feeders during November through March and make them inaccessible to bears by hanging them at least 10 feet from the ground and six feet from any climbable structure. ● Do not leave trash, groceries, or pet food in your car, as bears can smell these food sources and easily rip through cars to access them.
● Do not leave any scented products outside, even non-food items such as suntan lotion, insect repellent, soap or candles.
Water
Urban areas provide a year-round supply of water in the form of stormwater impoundments and channels, artificial lakes, irrigation, swimming pools, and pet water dishes, which support wildlife. In dry conditions, water can be as alluring as food. Residents should remove outdoor water bowls/cans, fix pipe leaks, and secure fountains, pools, and jacuzzis with covers.
Shelter
Parks, greenbelts, open spaces, sumps, golf courses, buildings, sheds, decks, and crawl spaces increase the amount and variability of cover for wildlife. These spaces allow them to safely and easily remain close to residents, pets, homes, and businesses without detection. Wildlife may take advantage of available spaces under sheds or decks for use as a den or lair, thereby bringing them into close contact with residents and pets. Residents should block access to crawl spaces, the underside of sheds/decks and porches, and any other well hidden area that can house wild animals.
Feral Domestic Animals (FDAs)
FDAs include animals such as peafowl, feral cats, domestic ducks and geese, and rock pigeons. For the purpose of this framework, FDAs will represent only peafowl and feral cats. FDA’s and residents’ relationships with them contribute to increased FDA populations and attract other kinds of wildlife. For more information on feral domestic animals, see Section 5.
Residents are encouraged to use the Yard Audit Checklist (Appendix C) as a tool to help recognize and remove attractants in their yards and neighborhoods.
2.2 Deterrents
In addition to removing attractants, residents are encouraged to use deterrents, especially in areas where wildlife is consistently present. Deterrents stop or discourage wildlife from engaging in unwanted behavior, for example, entering one’s yard or eating one’s plants. Wild animals can be deterred by light, sound, and/or scent. See Appendix B for additional deterrent examples.
Light
Wildlife typically do not like bright or flashing lights, especially at night. Use motion detection lighting, strobe lighting, and, during the holiday season, blinking holiday lights. If it is likely that an animal has made a den or lair in one’s yard, place a flashlight near its entrance at dusk when the animals have left, and leave it on throughout the night. This will encourage the animal to leave and make a home elsewhere.
Sound
Certain noises can be unsettling to wild animals. If feasible, use a radio on a talk-show station or connect any device with access to YouTube to a speaker and play one of the videos linked below. If an animal is already present in one’s yard/home, make loud, jarring noises, to encourage the animal to leave. This can be accomplished by banging pots and pans together, shaking a tin can full of coins, yelling, and honking a car or air horn. If the animal is a black bear, advise residents to move to a safe space in their home and try their best to make sure there is a clear exit path for the bear. If it is possible to make noise from that space, they may do so to encourage the bear to leave.
The following list includes links to sounds that may be used to deter wildlife:
● Small Crowd Talking Ambience
○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQdnHT3MCA
● Small Crowd Chatter Sound Effect
○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvsR1GBJc8E
Scent
The scents of bleach and ammonia are offensive to most wildlife. Place bleach or ammonia soaked rags (never both–when combined, they produce fumes toxic to both humans and wildlife) near items that may attract wildlife, such as trash bins, or near potential den/lair spaces. You may also make a homemade spray by combining vinegar and ammonia in a clean spray bottle. Use a 50/50 solution of ammonia or vinegar with water. You may spray this mixture around the perimeter of your yard or along the fence of your property. It is recommended to use these deterrents once a week and replace/respray them after rainfall. Please note, these sprays are not intended to be sprayed on wildlife directly. For those living near
black bears, the scent of pine-based cleaners also serves as a deterrent, but avoid using anything with a fresh, lemony, or fruity smell.
2.3 Pet Protection
The most common wildlife threat to pets is the coyote. Coyotes may prey on pets, including, but not limited to, dogs, cats, chickens and other birds, and rabbits. Any pet left unprotected and unsupervised is vulnerable, especially in areas where coyotes are prevalent. Other kinds of wildlife in the San Gabriel Valley are generally wary of pets, but some animals may attack pets if they feel threatened. For example, a black bear defending her cubs may become aggressive toward a dog that provokes her cub. ● The best way to minimize risk to pets from apex predators (and the other dangers of outdoor life such as cars and disease) is to keep small pets indoors, only let them outside in a secured enclosure or when accompanied by a person (within six feet). ● It is important to either keep dogs on a leash that is six feet long or shorter when outdoors or to stay within six feet of them (if unleashed) when outside. Coyotes may view a dog on a leash longer than six feet as an unattended pet. Coyote attacks on free-roaming small cats or dogs are normal animal behavior and do not indicate a danger for humans. A free-roaming pet is considered as an unattended domestic pet outside of its enclosed yard or area. ● Although attacks on larger dogs are rare, apex predators may attack a large dog when they feel that their territory is threatened.
2.4 Laws & Ordinances
It is important residents are made aware of state and local laws/ordinances regarding wildlife and feral domestic animals. For more information on relevant laws/ordinances regarding wildlife in the San Gabriel Valley, see Section 5.
Section 3: Response & Reporting
A five-tier safety response plan has been developed by the SGVCOG to provide a mechanism for identifying and classifying different levels of human-wildlife interactions for member agencies. This response plan serves as a regional approach to identify different types of wildlife encounters and their frequency. Cities are encouraged to adapt and adjust SGVCOG’s response plan or develop a plan that is more suitable to the individual cities’ needs; however, levels of wildlife behavior and response actions should be consistent with SGVCOG’s response plan. Several cities in the San Gabriel Valley have already developed their own tiered reporting and response systems for human-coyote interactions, but the system proposed by the SGVCOG is the first to encompass all wildlife. In addition to the tiered wildlife response plan, the SGVCOG has included a separate response plan for black bear encounters, which require a slightly different, more tailored response. Appendix D showcases both of the SGVCOG’s response systems.
If a human is attacked or physically injured by a wild animal, cities and counties will work with the CDFW, which will be the lead investigating agency, to identify and remove the responsible animal if necessary. As a last resort, lethal removal will be considered if there is a public safety issue with a particular wild animal threatening residents. This will only be used after a thorough investigation and
correct identification of the offending animal. If there is an immediate public safety issue, such as a wild animal threatening residents in an area frequented by people, the local police department will respond.
Cities should encourage residents to report all wildlife encounters to CDFW through their Wildlife Incident Report (WIR) webpage at https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir/incident/create. Residents can report sightings of, or encounters with, all kinds of wildlife, including black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, deer, racoons, skunks, and more. Reporting wildlife encounters helps both SGVCOG and CDFW to identify potential trouble areas where certain kinds of wildlife are frequently sighted, allowing them to focus resources where they are needed most.
Threatening wildlife behavior or animal bites/attacks on humans should be reported immediately to emergency services at 9-1-1. If a resident has been bitten or wounded by a wild animal, please direct the injured resident to seek immediate medical attention. All animal bites to humans are legally reportable in Los Angeles County except for rodent and rabbit bites. For more information, please visit the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website at
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/biteintro.htm.
Section 4: Behavior Modification & Hazing
It is possible for wildlife to become too comfortable in the close proximity of residents, a process otherwise known as habituation. To safely coexist and prevent habituation, residents must modify their behavior to shape wildlife behavior. Habituated wildlife behavior needs to be reshaped to encourage wild animals to avoid contact with residents and pets.
Hazing, also known as “fear conditioning” or “scaring,” facilitates this change and is, by necessity, a community response to negative encounters with wildlife. It is most commonly used to prevent coyotes from becoming habituated. The more an individual animal is hazed, the more effective hazing is in changing animal behavior. Removing attractants contributes to this change as well, signaling to wildlife that there is no food, water, or shelter available to them, encouraging them to move to another area.
Hazing employs the immediate use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage undesirable behavior or activity. When hazing, it is recommended to utilize deterrents such as loud noises, water, bright lights, and projectiles. Other acts of hazing include waving arms to make oneself appear big, spraying water in the direction of animals, and shouting. Hazing can help maintain a wild animal’s fear of humans and discourage them from key areas in neighborhoods, such as backyards and play areas. Hazing is not always applicable or recommended in every encounter with wildlife. Please see Appendices A and B for additional details on when/how to haze, effective hazing strategies and other responses to implement when you see a certain wild animal.
Hazing is not intended to harm or damage animals, humans, or property, but to change the animal’s behavior. A wild animal, similar to a dog, will not know that the behavior it is engaging in is unwanted unless some type of message is sent and reinforced repeatedly. Behavioral change also involves human activities such as identifying and removing attractants and protecting pets responsibly. If a human sees a wild animal in an urban area and does not respond in any way, a message opposite of hazing is conveyed to the animal.
Goals of Hazing
It is not economically and ecologically efficient to eradicate wildlife from the urban ecosystem.
Hazing is part of a long-term plan to create safe and acceptable living situations and reduce human-wildlife conflict. The goals of hazing include:
● To reshape wildlife 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 wildlife can remove attractants, identify potentially dangerous situations for their pets and themselves, and respond in a manner designed to change wildlife behavior, preventing habituation.
● To provide residents information and tools to actively engage in reshaping wildlife behavior and to support feeling safe in their parks and neighborhoods. This can be accomplished by teaching residents effective and appropriate hazing techniques. ● To model hazing behavior and share accurate information about wildlife among other residents, friends, and family.
● To monitor hazing to assess its effectiveness and determine if further action or more aggressive hazing is needed.
● To develop long-term community-based hazing programs.
Section 5: Feral-Domestic Animals
In addition to wild animals, feral domestic animals (FDAs) play a significant role in coexisting with wildlife. These animals include, but are not limited to, peafowl, feral cats, and rock pigeons. This framework will only discuss peafowl and feral cats when referring to FDAs. FDAs’ presence, and residents’ relationships with them, often attract other forms of wildlife to a neighborhood. When residents feed FDAs, they consequently feed wildlife as well. Leftover food from bowls set out for certain animals, and even the animals themselves, attract wildlife. For example, when a resident leaves a bowl of cat food out with the intent of feeding feral cats, they also feed surrounding opossums, racoons, and skunks, as well as the coyotes that prey on feral cats. Another common example occurs when residents feed deer and as a result, attract bears.
It is illegal to feed wildlife in the State of California, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Feeding FDAs often results in the unintentional feeding of wildlife. While it may be compelling to feed FDAs, it is harmful to them and surrounding wildlife. Human food is unhealthy for FDAs and wild animals, and feeding them can lead to malnourishment and/or death. Feeding results in an increased, unnatural population of FDAs and wild animals, increasing the likelihood of transmitting diseases to both people and other animals.
The same guidelines outlined for wildlife in sections 2.1 through 2.4 can be applied to FDAs. The following subsections will discuss any additional information related to FDAs. Figure 1 summarizes these guidelines, along with additional information regarding black bears and FDAs.
Figure 1–Summary of General Considerations for All Wildlife and FDAs with Additional Information on Select Animals
Feral Cats
Feral Cats are un-owned domestic cats that live outdoors with little to no human interaction. Although they might seem helpless, it is important that residents do not feed feral cats. Feeding feral cats can attract other wildlife and pests to that particular area where food sources are readily available.
Feral cats can sometimes be difficult to tell apart from stray cats. In contrast to feral cats, stray cats are cats that, at some point in their lives, lived indoors and socialized with humans. Adult feral cats have never socialized with people and cannot become indoor cats.
They do not approach humans and will move cautiously with their body crouched low to the ground and their tail down. They are constantly observing their surroundings.
Cities should refer residents to trap-neuter-release programs to help reduce feral cat populations. Trap-neuter-release programs involve humanely trapping feral cats and bringing them to a veterinarian's office to be spayed/neutered and sometimes vaccinated. The cats are then returned to their outdoor home. The San Gabriel Valley
Humane Society offers this service at a low cost. To participate, residents must contact the Humane Society for further instruction. Additional information is available on the Humane Society’s website at https://www.sgvhumane.org/trap-neuter-return-cat. A list of trap-neuter-release programs within Los Angeles County can be found at: http://www.spaycalifornia.org/feral/feral_losangeles.htm.
Peafowl
Residents might consider peafowl as wildlife, but they are actually FDAs. Peafowl are large birds known for their colorful feathers. Although they are beautiful, peafowl can become a nuisance to residents. Peafowl are capable of causing damage to cars, lawns, and the roofs of properties.
When landscaping, it is suggested to cover gardens with gravel or rocks to prevent peafowl from digging up plants to create loose soil for bathing purposes. It is also recommended that residents consider including plants that peafowl dislike in their yards. Table 2 lists plants that peafowl like and dislike. Cities should encourage residents to remove plants that peafowl like and replace them with plants they dislike.
Table 2–Plants Peafowl Like and Dislike
Plants Peafowl Like Plants Peafowl Disike
● Amaryllis
● Begonia
● Broccoli
● Brussel Sprout
● Cabbage
● California Poppy
● Cauliflower
● Chive
● Holly Berries
● Impatiens
● Kale
● Kohlrabi
● Lettuce
● Lettuce
● Nasturtium
● Pansy
● Petunia
● Primrose
● Stock
● Stock Cauliflower,
● Sweet Alyssum
● Tomato
● Water Stock
● Young Spinach
● Young Plants (any
variety)
● Agapanthus
● Azalea
● Baby’s Breath
● Bee Balm
● Bird of Paradise
● Blazing Star
Liatris
● Bougainvillea
● Butterfly Plant
● Cactus
● Camellia
● Cannas
● Clivia
● Columbine
● Coneflower
● Ferns
● Fuchsia
● Gaillardia
● Gardenia
● Geranium
● Giant Columbine
● Gladiola
● Gloriosa Daisy
● Hen & Chicken
● Hibiscus
● Hardy Lavender
● Hostas
● Iris
● Ivy
● Lantana
● Lavender
● Marigold
● Mint
● Mum
● Oleander
● Painted Daisy
● Periwinkle
● Peonies
● Phlox
● Pink Lady
● Plumbago
● Poinsettia
● Pyracantha
● Rhododendron
● Rose
● Shasta Daisy
● Snapdragon
● Sunburst
Coreopsis
● Weigela
Cities can establish their own peafowl management plans that go beyond attractant removal and deterrent implementation. Because peafowl are FDAs and not considered wildlife, cities can implement their own peafowl trap and relocation programs. The cities of La Cañada Flintridge and Rancho Palos Verdes both have established peafowl management plans that involve the trapping and relocating of peafowl (Appendix J). In both plans, the goal is to maintain peafowl populations below a sustainable census. Once peafowl populations exceed this census, cities are responsible for the trapping and relocation of peafowl.
This can be accomplished by hiring a licensed trapper, who will identify new homes for the trapped peafowl.
Section 6: Relevant Laws
California law prohibits feeding, breeding, and sheltering wildlife (including rodents) and local police departments are obligated to enforce applicable state statutes pertaining to this activity. Cities and counties are encouraged to adopt ordinances that further discourage residents from feeding wildlife.
Please see Appendix F for sample ordinances prohibiting the feeding of wildlife from the Cities of Azusa and Davis, California.
Additionally, California law prohibits the trapping and relocation of nongame mammals. Trapped nongame mammals must either be killed immediately or released.
California and Los Angeles County codes regarding feeding and trapping wildlife are listed below. Please see Appendix G to view the codes in their entirety.
● California Code of Regulations Title 14. Section 251.1. Harassment of Animals ● California Code of Regulations Title 14. Section 465.5(G)(1) Use of Traps/Immediate Dispatch or Release
● Los Angeles County Code Title 10. Sections 10.84.010-10.84.020. Providing Food For Certain Rodents or Predator Animals Prohibited
APPENDIX A: HAZING AND OTHER GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR WILDLIFE
ENCOUNTERS
Human behavior can shape animal behavior in either a negative or positive manner. Residents living in close proximity to wildlife should remove attractants, identify potentially dangerous situations for their pets and themselves, and respond in a manner designed to change wildlife behavior.
Successful hazing requires community involvement, understanding, and support. Residents should be equipped with tools and knowledge to respond consistently in their own neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces. Levels of hazing need to be appropriately relevant to the wild animal’s activity, for example, wildlife may be more prevalent during morning, evening, and nighttime hours, when less humans are out.
In most cases, this is normal behavior, and hazing may not be necessary in this situation.
The following bullets outline key components of hazing wildlife:
● Hazing is a process whereby individuals make an animal uncomfortable so that the animal chooses to leave a situation where their presence is unwanted. ● Basic hazing consists of residents standing their ground, never ignoring or turning their backs on an animal, and yelling and making unpleasant and frightening noises until the animal chooses to leave.
● Once the act of hazing begins, it must continue until the animal leaves the vicinity. Otherwise, the animal will learn to wait until the person gives up. Not following through with hazing will create an animal more resistant to hazing instead of reinforcing the image that humans should be avoided.
● Do not haze injured animals. An injured animal becomes less predictable versus a normal, healthy one who responds in a consistent and predictable manner to hazing. ● Hazing should allow the animal 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.
● Hazing uses a variety of different hazing tools. This is critical as animals can become accustomed to individual items and sounds. The following items are often used to haze animals:
○ Noisemakers: Voice, whistles, air horns, bells, “shaker” cans, pots, pie pans ○ Projectiles: Sticks, small rocks, cans, tennis balls, rubber balls ○ Deterrents: Hoses, spray bottles with vinegar, pepper spray, bear repellent, walking sticks, ammonia soaked rags
Animal harassment and abuse is illegal and not a form of hazing. Hazing should never injure an animal. The following subsections further detail how residents should respond during certain wildlife encounters:
Coyotes
In most cases, it is recommended to implement the hazing techniques listed below when faced with a coyote in an urban area.
Sometimes, it is necessary to use more aggressive hazing toward coyotes that show signs of habituation. In this situation, approach the coyote quickly and aggressively, waving arms, throwing projectiles in the direction of (but not at) the animal, or spraying water with a hose or water gun. All of these techniques are used to reinforce a coyotes’ natural fear of humans, encouraging the coyote to leave the vicinity. Unprompted hazing may not be necessary during late night encounters with coyotes, as they are often out when humans are not present. The following is a list of tips and other considerations regarding hazing coyotes:
● Hazing must 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 to the desired outcome, which is for them to leave the vicinity. ● 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. Residents should not ignore, turn their backs, or avoid hazing because there are multiple coyotes instead of a single individual coyote.
● The more often an individual coyote is hazed by a variety of tools and techniques and a variety of residents, the more effective hazing will be in changing that animal’s future behavior. ● Hazing must be directly associated with the person involved in the hazing actions. The coyote must be aware of where the potential threat is coming from and identify the person. ● Coyotes can and do recognize individual residents and animals in their territories. They can learn to avoid or harass specific individuals in response to behavior of the person and/or pet. ● Coyotes can be routine in their 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 residents. ● Certain levels of hazing must always be maintained so that future generations of coyotes do not learn or return to unacceptable habits related to habituation to residents. ● Human behavior must change to support hazing and continued identification and removal of possible attractants.
● Education about exclusion techniques including how to identify and remove attractants, personal responsibility in pet safety, and having reasonable expectations are critical parts of a coyote hazing plan.
● Coyotes are skittish by nature. Habituated behavior is learned and reinforced by human behavior.
As a rule, coyotes 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, residents should not engage and instead remove themselves from the situation, then immediately contact the local police department.
● Individuals involved in hazing need to be trained in explaining hazing to residents who witness the process. They also need to explain the difference between hazing and harassment of wildlife and goals of appropriate behavior for coexistence.
Black Bears
Black bears are generally timid animals; they will seek to avoid confrontation with humans. The black bears’ presence in urban areas has increased over time, as they’ve come to realize urbanized spaces offer an abundance of resources. Because of this, it is very important to remove all attractants from one’s yard/neighborhood. For a detailed list of possible attractants, see section 2.a.
It is useful for residents to understand the difference between normal and habituated black bear behavior. That way, when confronted with a black bear in their neighborhood, they will know how to respond. Normal black bear behavior includes spending most of its time foraging or walking around in search of food, water, and other resources. Black bears, especially cubs, will sometimes vocalize or climb trees. If a black bear is in a tree, do not stand below it or otherwise make the bear feel trapped. Instead, leave the bear alone so that it feels safe to climb back down and leave the area. In the event that a black bear exhibiting normal behavior is found in a neighborhood, residents should remove all attractants and stay out of the bear’s path.
On the other hand, a habituated bear shows little to no overt reaction to people as a result of being repeatedly exposed to anthropogenic stimuli without substantial consequences. A bear is likely habituated if it does not respond to people’s attempts to shoo the bear away (yelling and making other loud noises) and/or is causing damage to vehicles or structures. Residents who have experienced property damage can request a depredation permit to lethally remove the bear causing damage.
A Depredation Permit is a legal document obtained by a homeowner or tenant from CDFW that enables residents to address (within the bounds of the permit) a predator that has caused property damage, or has injured or killed livestock, poultry, or pets. A CDFW biologist will assess the situation before providing a depredation permit. Picture/video evidence of the animal’s behavior is not required but is extremely helpful in determining the necessity of a depredation permit. Once a depredation permit is issued, residents are responsible for hiring a licensed agency to address the situation as allowed by the permit.
CDFW will only remove black bears in extreme cases. This can be a lengthy process as the bear will need to be trapped, and CDFW will need to confirm it is the bear causing the issues. CDFW will try to find a suitable habitat for the bear. Because this is difficult to accomplish, “removal” often means humane euthanasia. An intense discussion with CDFW, the city, and federal partners will need to take place in order to make the decision regarding the bear. Table 2 summarizes the differences between normal and habituated black bear behavior.
Table A-1–Normal vs. Habituated Black Bear Behavior
Normal Black Bear Behavior Habituated Black Bear Behavior ● Foraging/walking in search of food/water
(even in foothill communities)
● Climbing trees (especially cubs)
● Vocalizing
● Little to no reaction toward humans’
attempts at shooing the bear away
● Damaging vehicles/structures and other
property
Please remember the following tips provided by the CDFW when faced with a black bear… In/near your home:
● If a bear breaks into your home, do not confront the bear. Instead, provide an escape route and do not block exit points. If the bear cannot find its way out, hide in a safe space and call 911. ● If you encounter a bear in your yard, chances are it will move on if there is nothing for the bear to forage. It is recommended that residents first remain indoors and wait for the bear to leave on its own. If the bear does not leave after some time, you can encourage the bear to leave by using noise makers or blowing a whistle within your home.
● If the bear is accompanied by its cubs, keep your distance and allow them to pass through. If you are inside and see a bear with its cubs in your yard, remain inside, as the bear may be more inclined to protect its cubs.
On a hike or in a remote area:
● If the black bear does not see you, back away slowly and increase your distance. Clap hands or make noise so the bear knows you are there and will move on. ● If the black bear sees you, do not make eye contact. Slowly back away. Do NOT run. Let the bear know you are not a threat. Give it a way out.
● Carry and know how to use bear spray as a deterrent. In the event of a black bear attack, it is usually recommended to fight back. However, each situation is different. Prevention is the key.
General considerations regarding black bears:
● If a black bear approaches you, make yourself look big by lifting and waving your arms. Use noisemakers, or yell at the bear. If small children are present, keep them close to you. ● Female black bears will often send cubs up a tree and leave the area in response to a perceived threat. Do not remain in the area – when you leave, she will come back for her cubs. ● Black bear attacks are rare in California and typically are defensive in nature because the bear is surprised or defending cubs; however, bears accustomed to people may become too bold and act aggressively.
● In the very rare situation that a bear does attack you, fight back and do NOT play dead.
Once the bear leaves, residents should remove whatever attracted the bear to the area and any other attractants. For additional information on the CDFW’s response, methods, and decision-making process in managing human/bear conflicts in California, please see their updated black bear policy at:
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=198982&inline. The purpose of the CDFW’s black
bear policy is to provide guidance to staff and the public on how human/bear categories will be handled through their department.
Mountain Lions (also known as Pumas or Cougars)
While it is unlikely, it is possible to encounter a mountain lion, especially during hikes in/near the San Gabriel Mountains. Mountain lions are rather recluse and are wary of humans, making human encounters with them especially rare. If a resident does encounter a mountain lion, they should be educated to:
● Immediately pick up children and/or small pets.
● Make themselves appear larger by standing close to other people, opening jackets/other layers of clothing, and raising their arms (waving them slowly). ● Make noise by yelling, banging a walking stick/water bottle, and speaking slowly and loudly. ● Maintain eye contact.
● Never run away, turn their back, crouch down, or bend over. ● Slowly create distance and allow the mountain lion a route to escape.
To avoid attracting mountain lions, residents should never feed or otherwise attract deer, a mountain lion’s prey.
Bobcats
Bobcats are medium-sized members of the wild cat family and are often mistaken for other cat species.One easy way to distinguish bobcats is by their size. They are only
one-quarter to less than one-half the size of a mountain lion.
They are generally two to three times larger than a housecat and more muscular and full in the body. Their tails are significantly shorter than the tails of mountain lions and most domestic cats. A bobcat's diet consists of rabbits, robdents, rats, raccoons, deer fawns and birds. They also consume plants like grass and fruit. Bobcats have always been around but are rather recluse and are known to be very shy, elusive and avoidant. When encountering a bobcat, it is important to:
● Back away slowly and deliberately from the bobcat, creating as much distance as possible. ● Never turn your back on the bobcat.
● Never run away, as that can provoke the bobcat into instinctively pursuing you. ● If you have water, throw or spray it at the bobcat, as they dislike water ● Never approach or attempt to handle a bobcat
Figure 1 details key differences between identifying bobcats, mountain lions, and feral/domestic house cats.
Figure A-1–Key Differences When Identifying Bobcats, Mountain Lions, and House Cats Deer
Whether on a hike or in one’s front yard, deer can be
spotted throughout the San Gabriel Valley. Just as with any wild animal, it is important to maintain a safe distance when spotting a deer. Deer are naturally afraid of humans, and they will typically leave at the sight of one. While it is possible for deer to become aggressive and/or violent, it is unlikely that residents will experience this behavior. Be wary of deer that start to stomp or scrape the ground with their hooves and lower their heads, as this behavior
indicates potential aggression. Never challenge the deer.
Instead, slowly back away while looking downward. If deer are frequently spotted near one’s property, consider installing motion detection lights to deter them (and most other wild animals) from entering the yard.
While it may not be common in the San Gabriel Valley, residents should understand that it is possible to run into a deer while driving. The best way to avoid hitting a deer on the road is by:
● Slowing down on roads with deer crossing warning signs ● Being alert especially at dawn and dusk
If one sees a deer in the road, they should brake firmly and calmly, stay in their lane, and honk loudly.
Swerving could make one lose control of their vehicle. If one does hit a deer, they should immediately turn on their hazard lights and move their vehicle to a safe location. The collision should then be reported to local law enforcement or state police. If someone is injured, they should immediately contact emergency services.
Deer can often serve as pests to those trying to cultivate a garden. To deter deer from any yard or garden, residents should consider planting deer resistant plants. These plants include agave, cacti, wild lilac, gazania, African daisy, bamboo, tree mallow, lion’s tail, oregano, rosemary, yucca, thyme, and scaevola.
Residents should always remember to pick up any fallen fruit from trees to avoid attracting deer and other wildlife.
Finally, never intentionally feed deer. Not only is feeding wildlife illegal, but feeding deer is considered baiting big game, which is prohibited by California Mammal Hunting Regulation 251.6 the state of California. Additionally, feeding deer can attract mountain lions to an area, as deer are a mountain lion’s natural prey. Deer are also hosts to ticks, which can carry and transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, making feeding deer dangerous to both humans and deer.
Skunks, Opossums, Raccoons
Skunks, opossums, and raccoons (pictured left to right) can be a nuisance in communities. They are often found in yards and can cause damage to gardens. Like any wild animal in an urban setting, they seek any source of food, water, and shelter.
Skunks are small, furry, black animals with two thick white stripes along their backs. They are most active during the nighttime. It is best to avoid a skunk during an encounter. If it is first seen at a distance and hasn't sensed the human’s presence, slowly and quietly back away. Skunks are generally not aggressive unless they feel threatened. A skunk that feels startled or afraid will signal that it plans to spray by raising its tail, standing on its hind legs, or stomping its feet on the ground.
Opossums resemble large rats, with white and black fur, a big jaw, beady eyes, and a hairless tail. They are commonly found in people’s yards and streets. They are slow moving animals. When they feel threatened, opossums display their teeth, growl, drool, and sometimes play “dead.” Raccoons are medium-sized mammals often distinguished by their fox-like face with a black mask.
Raccoons are nocturnal animals and can become aggressive when provoked. If threatened, raccoons will attack using their claws and teeth. If a raccoon approaches too closely, one should make themself appear larger by standing up, shouting, and waving their arms. If it continues to approach, spray water or throw projectiles in the raccoon’s direction, if needed.
Additional detailed information on skunk, opossum, and raccoon management can be found on the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program website, http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/menu.house.html#VERT.
Rattlesnakes
Rattlesnakes are found in a variety of habitats throughout California, including urban spaces, riverbanks, hiking trails, lakeside parks, golf courses, and open fields. They may be found around homes and yards in brushy areas and under
wood piles. Rattlesnakes are generally not aggressive, but they will bite if they feel threatened or when handled
incorrectly. They may react aggressively and quickly when accidentally startled. It is important to take precaution when passing through an area that may have rattlesnakes,
especially during the spring and summer–the seasons when rattlesnakes are more likely to be present. During especially hot seasons, rattlesnakes are more likely to be spotted during dusk and dawn, avoiding the hottest hours of the day to prevent them from overheating. During the fall and winter, rattlesnakes are more likely to be spotted during mid-morning, as they increase their body temperature by laying in the sun.
Please consider the following measures to reduce the likelihood of encountering a rattlesnake:
● Always be alert! Startled rattlesnakes may not rattle before they bite. ● When walking through bushy or wild areas, wear sturdy boots and loose fitted pants. ● When hiking, go through well-used trails only, and always go with someone in case an emergency situation arises. Carry a cell phone at all times.
● Teach children to leave snakes alone and to not play outdoors while barefoot. ● Keep pets on leashes when hiking, and speak to your veterinarian on measures to take if your pets are bitten by a snake
Rattlesnakes are venomous, so it is important to seek medical attention immediately after a rattlesnake bite. If you or someone nearby is bitten by a rattlesnake, remember the following:
● Stay calm and act quickly.
● Remove all watches and rings to avoid swelling.
● Do not use your mouth to “suck the venom out”.
● Do not apply a tourniquet.
● Do not ice the bite area.
● Do not cut the wound with a knife or razor.
● Go to the nearest emergency room, and seek medical attention.
If rattlesnakes are a recurring issue in one’s yard, it is advisable to install a “snake-proof” fence in compliance with local municipal code. The fence should be at least three feet high with a few inches into the ground. It can be solid or mesh, but the mesh should be no larger than one-quarter inch.
Tree Squirrels
Tree squirrels are most active during the day and oftentimes spotted in trees or running on utility lines.
They search for food wherever they may find it, including in residents’ homes and yards. Squirrels are capable of chewing into wooden buildings and sneaking into attics. Their diet consists of a variety of
foods such as seeds, pine, nuts, insects, and bird eggs. If squirrels become an issue, the following are steps to minimize their presence near one’s property:
● Remove any bird feeders on trees or with easy access to squirrels.
● Never leave pet food outdoors.
● Make sure your outdoor trash cans are property sealed. ● If there are fruit, seed, or nut bearing trees, rake up any that fall to the ground.
● Prune off tree branches to avoid squirrels from leaping from one branch to another.
● Ensure that trees around the home are always trimmed to prevent squirrels from jumping on to the roof.
APPENDIX B: PRACTICAL HAZING/DETERRENT TOOLS AND METHODS The following tools and descriptions are listed as written by Cassidy English, District Wildlife Manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Rattle Cans: An aluminum can that is filled one-quarter with gravel. These work great for bears. When you see a bear, shake the can and yell at it. If necessary, you can throw the can toward the bear. This method can also be done from inside your house. If a bear is in your yard, all you have to do is open a window or a door a tiny bit and shake the can. Try it with deer, mountain lions and coyotes, too.
Pots and Pans: It’s time to be a little kid again and make as much noise as possible. Banging pots and pans can be a great way to tell wildlife they are not welcome in your yard. It can even work for birds, such as herons snacking on your pond fish or woodpeckers drumming in your house. It doesn’t have to be pots and pan, just use anything that makes a lot of noise.
Yelling/Making Yourself Look Big: Yelling and making yourself look big can show wildlife that people are frightening and shouldn’t be approached.
Air Horns/Car Alarms: Any sudden, very loud noise can get wildlife away from your yard. A deer walks into your yard to eat your favorite flowers, blast an air horn. Car alarms can work for less habituated animals. In the city, they may be used to car alarms going off at all hours. It is worth a try, especially if the situation allows for the element of surprise.
Bleach/Ammonia: If you have small animals such as foxes, skunks or raccoons getting into sheds or under porches you can soak a washcloth or rags in bleach or ammonia, put them in a plastic sandwich bag with several holes poked in it. Place the bag at the entrance to the area. They hate the smell and will avoid the area.
Bird-Nesting Boxes: If you have a bird trying to nest in an inconvenient place, try putting up a nest box nearby. This will provide them with a location other than in your house to build a nest. There are plenty of different dimensions of nest boxes that will work for various species.
Streamers, Owl Statues, Kites: Putting aluminum colored streamers, owl statues, or flying a hawkshaped kite can deter birds from coming into your yard.
APPENDIX C: WILDLIFE YARD AUDIT
To download the pdf version of the following yard audit, use the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u98a0jtXb7oajOJcVk-LXZgi8kZTU6mk/view?usp=sharing.
APPENDIX D: WILDLIFE SAFETY RESPONSE PLAN TEMPLATE
This showcases the SGVCOG’s recommended five-tier wildlife response plan. As mentioned previously, cities and agencies are encouraged to modify SGVCOG’s response plan to cater to the needs of their own communities; however, the levels of wildlife behavior and response actions should be consistent with SGVCOG’s response plan. Please note that this response plan applies to wild animals, with the exclusion of black bears. You may find the Black Bear Safety Response plan on the following page (Appendix E).
It is important that residents understand their first contact in an emergency situation should be emergency services, for example, calling 9-1-1.
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR RESPONSE LEVEL RESPONSES
Wild animal heard or seen
resting or moving in public area
Level 1 Report will be reviewed, and if appropriate,
a response will be provided by e-mail or
phone. The City/Agency would direct
residents to available resources on normal
animal behavior.
Wild animal seen resting in
public area with humans present
Level 2 The City/Agency provides resources for the
resident to be educated on hazing
techniques and/or what-to-do tips.
Additionally, the City would encourage the
local community to eliminate wildlife
attractants.
Wild animal entering a yard to a
home with or without pets
present
Level 2 The City/Agency provides information for
the household to be educated on wildlife
attractants, yard audit implementation,
human-wildlife conflict mitigation, hazing
techniques, and/or pet safety information (if
applicable).
Wild animal entering a yard and
injuring or killing attended or
unattended pet
Level 3 The City/Agency gathers information on
specific animals involved, reports on
circumstances, and provides information for
the household to be educated on wildlife
attractants, yard audits, and pet safety
information. If needed, the City/Agency
directs resident to their respective animal
care agency.
Wild animal biting or injuring
an unattended pet/pet on a leash
Level 3 The City/Agency gathers information on
specific animals involved, reports on
circumstances, and provides information for
the household to be educated on wildlife
attractants, yard audits, and pet safety
information. If needed, the City/Agency
directs resident to their respective animal
care agency.
Wild animal following or
approaching a person and pet
Level 3 The City/Agency provides information for
the resident to be educated on hazing
techniques, what-to-do tips,
yard/neighborhood audits, and pet safety
information. Additionally, the City/Agency
will work with the residents to eliminate
wildlife attractants in the area.
Wild animal following or
approaching a person without a
pet
Level 4 The City/Agency provides information for
the resident to be educated on hazing
techniques, what-to-do tips,
yard/neighborhood audits, and pet safety
information. Additionally, the City/Agency
will work with residents and local groups to
eliminate wildlife attractants in the area.
Wild animal biting or injuring a
human
Level 5 The City/Agency informs CDFW and
Wildlife. Residents will receive educational
materials on wild animal attractants, yard or
neighborhood audits, hazing, and pet safety.
Additionally, the City/Agency would work
with the respective Humane Society, the
County of Los Angeles, CDFW, elected
officials, and its neighboring cities to send
out mailers, partner with external
stakeholders to host trainings and
workshops, conduct a community
meeting/town hall, and encourage the cities
in the subregion to work with community
groups to eliminate wildlife attractants.
Exhibit A
APPENDIX E: BLACK BEAR SAFETY RESPONSE PLAN TEMPLATE
This showcases the SGVCOG’s recommended 4-tier black bear response plan. As mentioned previously, cities are encouraged to modify SGVCOG’s response plan to cater to the needs of their own communities; however, the response actions must be in accordance with California policy and CDFW.
It is important that residents understand their first contact in an emergency situation should be emergency services, for example, calling 9-1-1.
Black Bear Behavior Response Level Response
Black bear sighted engaging in
natural behavior. Such behavior
includes but is not limited to
wandering through neighborhood
streets and yards in search of
food, swimming/drinking pool
water, vocalizing, and climbing
trees (this behavior is usually
exhibited by cubs).
Level 1 Report is reviewed, and a response
is provided by e-mail or phone. The
City/Agency provides information
on normal black bear behavior and
what to do during a black bear
encounter. The City/Agency helps
the reporter identify potential
attractants, ensuring that they are
removed as soon as possible.
Black bear sighted and causing a
“nuisance.” Such behavior
includes but is not limited to
rummaging through trash,
conflict with outdoor pets, and
lingering in neighborhood2.
Level 2 The City/Agency executes the
response outlined for a Level 1
situation. If the sighting takes place
in a city where bear sightings have
not historically been reported, the
City/Agency will alert nearby
residents of the bear’s presence. If
nearby residents are part of the
Wildlife Watch program,
participants should help canvas the
neighborhood for bear attractants.
Black bear sighted and causing
property damage to structures,
vehicles, landscaping, etc.
Level 3 The City/Agency executes the
response outlined for a Level 2
situation. In addition, residents can
request an investigation for a
potential depredation permit3from
CDFW.
(continued on following page)
3 A Depredation Permit is a legal document obtained by a homeowner or tenant from CDFW that enables residents to address (within the bounds of the permit) a predator that has caused property damage, or has injured or killed livestock, poultry, or pets. A CDFW biologist will assess the situation before providing a depredation permit.
Picture/video evidence of the animal’s behavior is not required but is extremely helpful in determining the necessity of a depredation permit. Once a depredation permit is issued, residents are responsible for hiring a licensed agency to address the situation as allowed by the permit.
2 This is relative to what is typical for the city/the resident’s community. For example, communities that are within close proximity to natural areas, such as foothill communities near the San Gabriel Mountains, can expect bears to be spotted more frequently and for longer periods of time.
Black Bear Behavior Response Level Response
Black bear engages in physical
contact with a human (bite or
scratch).
Level 4 The City/Agency executes the
response outlined for a Level 3
situation. In addition, CDFW and
local law enforcement collaborate
to collect DNA evidence and
euthanize bear responsible.
APPENDIX I: LIST OF SGVCOG MEMBER AGENCIES’ COYOTE MANAGEMENT PLANS ● City of Arcadia: Coyote Management Plan
○ https://www.arcadiaca.gov/Discover%20Arcadia/living/AdoptedCoyoteManagementPla.p df
● City of Glendora: Coyote Management Plan
○ https://www.cityofglendora.org/home/showpublisheddocument/27441/637377737117900 000#:~:text=Glendora's%20strategy%20for%20managing%20coyotes,%2Dexistence%20 with%20coyotes%3B%202.
● City of Montebello: Coyote Coexistence Plan
○ http://www.projectcoyote.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Montebello_Coexistence_Plan _lo_res.pdf
● City of Pasadena: Urban Wildlife Management Plan
○ http://www.cityofpasadena.net/public-health/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/Urban-WildlifeManagement-Plan.pdf?v=1646161160559 ● City of Rosemead: Coyote Management Plan
○ http://www.cityofrosemead.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_10034989/File/Gov/City%20D epartments/Public%20Safety/Animal%20Control/Coyote%20Information/Coyote.pdf ● City of San Dimas: Coyote Management Plan
○ https://sandimasca.gov/Document_Center/Residents/Public%20Safety/Coyote%20Inform ation/Attachment-City-of-San-Dimas-Coyote-Management-Plan2-Proposed.pdf ● City of San Gabriel: Coyote Management Plan
○ http://www.sangabrielcity.com/DocumentCenter/View/7844/Coyote-Management-Plan?b idId=
● City of West Covina: Coyote Management Plan
○ https://www.westcovina.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14526 APPENDIX J: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT PLANS ON COEXISTING
WITH WILDLIFE
● Guidelines for Living In and Visiting Bear and Mountain Lion Habitat ○ https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/ltbmu/home/?cid=stelprdb5415822 ● CDFW Keep Me Wild Campaign
○ https://wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild
● City of La Cañada Flintridge Peafowl Management Plan
○ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xPOFEiD-coxW9svSUMOKcWZuBMlK2b0p/view?usp =sharing
● City of Rancho Palos Verdes Peafowl Management Plan
○ http://www.rpvca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6903/PEAFOWL-MANAGEMENT-PLAN -AUGUST-4-2015
● City of Pasadena Urban Wildlife Management Plan
○ https://www.cityofpasadena.net/wp-content/uploads/DRAFT-Urban-Wildlife-Managemen t-Plan.pdf