Wily Ways: The (Sub)Urban Tahoe Coyote

by Joanna Hartman

Riley, a wheaten terrier, had been Andrew Lange's faithful, fourlegged companion for more than a decade. But when Riley went missing for longer than his usual neighborly visits, Lange's heart sank. He searched Squaw Valley for his beloved dog but found only his remains two days later. Immediately, Lange knew that Riley had been attacked and killed by a pack of coyotes.

"I know coyotes have always been a concern living in the mountains, particularly for small animals," says Lange. "Riley had been attacked by a coyote once before, and he obviously didn't learn anything from it. This time, he was consumed."

Preying on Our Pets

"We do see coyote problems where wildlife corridors have hooked up with urban settings, where development has moved into their territory," says California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) spokesman Steve Martarano. "When they see humans as a food source, that's when problems occur. They become more R comfortable and more aggressive."

Lange isn't the only Tahoe resident who has lost a pet to coyotes. As development continues to encroach into wildlife habitat, the animals are reportedly more brazen, even making cameo appearances during daylight hours.

"When people allow their pets to play outside, particularly in the mountains, they run the risk of their pets becoming part of the food chain," says Vada Camacho, a CDFG warden in the Eastern Sierra's Nevada and Placer counties. "But coyotes aren't the only critters out there that take a pet—they're fair game for a number of different predators."

But do coyotes pose a risk for humans? "We have had deaths associated with coyotes," Camacho says. "They are formidable predators; they are capable of that kind of injury. But people shouldn't be afraid to go out in the woods and see a coyote. The bottom line is that there are no absolutes when it comes to wildlife."

More of Them, or More of Us?

In spite of being hunted and trapped for more then 200 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports more coyotes today than when the Constitution was signed. And while there have been no formal population studies in the Tahoe area, local residents report seeing more coyotes now than before.

Because coyote territory has changed dramatically, they are often found foraging for garbage or stalking small animals in populated areas. "If they can hang out in Tahoe Donner and get an easy meal every day, they're going to make sure their friends are going to hang, too," Camacho says.

Animal experts agree that, while coyotes are receiving increasing attention, the issues remain with how people treat wildlife. "I don't think there's a problem with the coyote population. I think it's a problem with the human population," Camacho adds.

Taking Responsibility

"The most important thing is to make sure there isn't any food available," says Ann Bryant, executive director of the BEAR League, which is also concerned with urban-wildlife interaction. Coyotes are adept at change and quick to learn new ways of survival, specifi cally when it comes to their diet. True scavengers, coyotes will eat almost anything. To reduce the chances of human-coyote confl icts, make sure food, trash, pets and even small children are secure. Make life for coyotes in your neighborhood diffi cult by removing the attractions and shooing them away from your home, Bryant adds. And while it is legal to shoot coyotes where firearms can be discharged, killing them can have a reverse effect. Coyotes want to manage their own populations. In areas where coyote populations have increased, research shows that killing the critters throws the population control out of balance, and they breed more, according to Bryant.

The bottom line is that people must remember they share a habitat with coyotes—and wildlife of all sorts—here in Tahoe. "When people neglect their responsibilities towards wildlife, the animals are the ones who suffer," Martarano says.