The story of the coyote pack on the Red Car Property & the brazen coyote who did not want to move from the path of a neighbor's truck pulling into his own driveway, brought today's photos, as well as the following story from another Riverside Place neighbor:
I bumped into 3 very large coyotes at the bottom of India/Silverlake Blvd (behind Ralphs) on a jog last Saturday [around 7:30-8] am. The first one startled me (and me it) as we came within a few feet or so of each other as we both rounded the corner there simultaneously. Even more surprised to see the other two in the pack following close behind. There might have been more, who knows. The first one was definitely the biggest. About mid thigh height on me which is pretty huge for a coyote.
Next time I'll try to get a photo but I'm pretty single minded when running.
Another Riverside Place Neighbor
Our urban coyotes are big, healthy & not afraid of people. They are totally adapted to hunting in packs using the cars & trashcans as cover to lure off-leash dogs into an ambush. One coyote will take to the middle of the street to distract the dog while the other two will cleverly come out from the sides of a parked car to trap the unsuspecting dog. I've watched coyotes use this technique and I've intervened by shouting at the dog to go home & throwing rocks, running waving my arms at the coyotes. Others have reported similar coyote behavior and experienced ambushes on the public staircases themselves.
KEEP YOUR DOGS ON A LEASH!
DO NOT ALLOW YOUR DOGS TO CHASE COYOTES.
Keep trash & recycle bins tightly closed, even if they are empty. If a neighbor isn't controlling their trash - have a talk with them - they might not know they're attracting coyotes, rats, raccoons an skunks to the area. Some neighborhood restaurants & markets are notorious for not covering their trashcans. Report them to Building & Safety or have a talk with the manager. (Mixed-use zoning that City Planning is embracing, will only encourage more of this particular problem.)
Don't feed wildlife - it's against the law. If you feed your pets outside, pick up the food bowls immediately after they eat - do not leave food out for them. All the local wildlife will beat a path to your door. Do not poison or trap coyotes. (You're putting not only wildlife at risk but also cats, dogs and children too.)
City of LA Animal Services has good info for dealing with coyotes on their website.
Click here for all our coyote posts.
