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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved as amended the City of Huntington Beach Coyote Mana Dept ID AD-15-041 Page 1 of 3 j Meeting Date 12/21/2015 � wr s CITY OF HUNTIN G GT O BEACH /o }x REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION MEETING DATE: 12/21/2015 SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members SUBMITTED BY: Fred A Wilson, City Manager PREPARED BY: Robert Handy, Chief of Police SUBJECT: Approve the City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan and authorize Implementation of Plan Recommendations Statement of Issue The City has experienced an increase in the amount and severity of coyote encounters These encounters have caused a general sense of fear in residents throughout the City In response to these concerns, City Council Members Billy O'Connell and Barbara Delgleize requested that staff convene a community meeting with experts to weigh all options available to control the coyote population in Huntington Beach Attached is a plan to address the concerns of our residents Approval of this Coyote Management Plan will provide the Huntington Beach Police Department and City staff a framework in which to deal with encounters, attacks, and will outline specific response measures Financial Impact The fiscal impact to the City to implement the Plan is expected to be minimal and will vary dependent upon the City's response to more aggressive coyote behavior and implementation of education programs and materials Recommended Action A) Approve the City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan, and, B) Authorize the Huntington Beach Police Department to implement the recommendations set forth in the Plan Alternative Action(s) Do not approve the Coyote Management Plan and direct staff how to proceed Analysis In early 2014, the City along with other local Jurisdictions began to experience an increase in the amount of coyote encounters These encounters included attacks on pets that were on and off leash by coyotes and an uptick in sightings in areas populated by people (particularly during the day) The encounters have caused a general sense of uneasiness amongst residents and have brought about a desire to effectively manage the increase in coyote activity Historically, coyotes have existed in and around Huntington Beach finding safe haven in open space The prolonged drought has limited potential food sources for the coyote and thus drawn the coyote to a more urban setting in search of food and water Coyotes are opportunistic, versatile HB -267- Item 25. - I Dept ID AD-15-041 Page 2 of 3 Meeting Date 12/21/2015 carnivores that primarily eat small mammals, such as rabbits, ground squirrels, and mice Coyotes tend to prefer fresh meat, but will also eat significant amount of fruit and vegetables during the autumn and winter months when their prey is scarce Part of the coyote's success as a species is their adaptability Their dietary resilience coupled with a lack of prey and closer proximity to residents has led the coyote to seek alternative food sources, including small pets, pet food, and fallen fruits and vegetables found in the backyards of homes Generally, coyotes are reclusive, skittish animals who avoid human contact However, as their habitat disappears they become increasingly urbanized Their urbanization has led them to recognize that there are few threats to their survival in suburban environments This has resulted in coyotes approaching people and even feeling safe visiting residential backyards when people are present In response to this increase in brazenness, the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) held a Town Hall Meeting and heard concerns from residents, concerned non-governmental groups, and Coyote activists Moreover, City staff researched the response from surrounding communities, reviewed existing Coyote Management Plans, analyzed the Coyote Guidelines from the Humane Society of the United States, and researched coyote ecology to better understand and create an appropriate plan for Huntington Beach The Coyote Management Plan The Coyote Management Plan follows a similar format to that found in Seal Beach, Newport Beach, Calabasas, and Rancho Palos Verdes The Plan enables the City to manage the amplified presence of coyotes with an emphasis on education, hazing, and lastly employing lethal means of removal only when the safety of the public is at stake The City's strategy for managing coyotes is based on balancing respect and protection for wildlife and their habitats without compromising public safety The goal of the Plan is to support coexistence with urban coyotes using education, behavior modification, and development of a tiered response to aggressive coyote behavior The suggested actions in the Plan are designed to increase citizens' knowledge and understanding of how coyotes behave and make clear how such behavior can be managed to reduce or eliminate conflicts with coyotes The main strategy is comprised of a three-pronged approach consisting of public education designed around co-existence with coyotes, enforcement of laws and regulations prohibiting the feeding of wildlife, and ensuring public safety by implementing tiered responses to coyote and human interactions The Plan requires active participation on the part of the entire community including residents, homeowner associations, volunteers, and City staff Education is the key to having residents make appropriate decisions regarding their safety or managing their property and pets Education will involve written materials (handouts, mailers, etc ), signage, and the utilization of the City website to disseminate pertinent information about sightings, aggressive coyotes, and hazing techniques The goal of education is to decrease attractants, increase pet safety, and reshape coyote behavior through hazing and creating reasonable expectations of normal coyote behavior The act of feeding wildlife is known to lead to an increase in wildlife activity Feeding can attract coyotes and their prey to an area, leading to an increased likelihood of creating habituated coyote(s), which results in an increase in coyote and human interactions California law strictly prohibits feeding wildlife as does Huntington Beach Municipal Code Section 13 48 075 City staff and Orange County Animal Care will strictly enforce State and local laws pertaining to this activity A detailed tiered response plan has been developed to provide a mechanism for identifying and classifying different levels of human and coyote interactions The plan includes appendices with detailed information on coyote behavior and recommended responses to their behavior Additionally, a checklist for homeowners on how to reduce attractants in their yards is included It Item 25. - 2 HB -268- Dept ID AD-15-041 Page 3 of 3 Meeting Date 12/21/2015 should be noted that if a human is attacked and physically injured by a coyote, the HBPD will lethally remove the offending animal and/or contact the California Department of Fish and Game The Coyote Management Plan is a living document and will be updated from time to time as trends in coyote management change The Plan is a first step with the ultimate goal of coexisting with coyotes and managing their behavior The success of this plan will be based on proactive coordination by City staff and active participation by the public In the coming months and years, the plan may require adjustments given the adaptability of coyotes and various environmental factors (e g continuing drought) The understanding of coyote behavior and management is evolving as wildlife experts continue to study the coyote in suburban environments The City will need to be flexible and re-evaluate its strategy as necessary when new information and techniques become available Environmental Status Not applicable Strategic Plan Goal Improve quality of life Attachment(s) 1 Coyote Management Plan HB -269- Item 25. - 3 City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan FFB I1, 1999,PO" � Huntington Beach Police Department 1 Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Table of Contents Executive Summary Page 3 1 Background Page 4 II The Coyote Page 4 III Coyote Attractants in Urban Areas Page 6 IV Hazing and Behavioral Changes Page 8 V Monitoring and Collecting Data Page 9 VI Enforcement Page 10 VII Response&Attack Plan Page 10 VIII Public Education and Outreach Page 11 Appendix A—Definitions and Encounters with Coyotes Page 12 Appendix B—Coyote Behavior Classification Page 14 Appendix C—Hazing Program and Training Plan Page 16 Appendix D—Yard Audit Checklist Page 20 Appendix E—References Page 21 2 1 P a g e City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Executive Summary The intent of this plan is to provide guidance for staff in dealing with coyotes in Huntington Beach. The Management Plan is based on research and best known management practices and includes a full spectrum of management tools to deal with coyotes in an urban area This Coyote Management Plan is based on case studies, best management practices implemented by surrounding communities, and an understanding of the coyote ecology and biology in urban settings Goals The goal of this Management Plan is to support coexistence with urban coyotes using education, behavior modification, and development of a tiered response to aggressive coyote behavior The suggested actions in this plan are designed to increase citizens' knowledge and understanding of how coyotes behave and make clear how such behavior can be managed to reduce or eliminate conflicts with coyotes Strategy The strategy for managing coyotes is based on balancing respect and protection of wildlife and their habitats without compromising public safety The main strategy is comprised of a three pronged approach consisting of 1 Public Education designed around co-existence with coyotes 2 Enforcement of laws and regulations prohibiting the feeding of wildlife 3 Ensuring public safety by implementing appropriate tiered responses to coyote and human interactions This plan requires active participation on the part of the entire community Education Education is the key to having residents make appropriate decisions regarding their safety or managing their property and pets Education will involve written materials on doors and handouts available at City facilities Educational tools will also include signage that will warn pet owners of the presence of coyotes The goal of education is to decrease attractants, increase pet safety, and reshape coyote behavior through hazing and creating reasonable expectations of normal coyote behavior Enforcement The act of feeding wildlife is known to lead to an increase in wildlife activity Feeding can attract coyotes and their prey to an area leading to an increased likelihood of creating a habituated coyote(s) resulting in increases in coyote and human interactions California law strictly prohibits feeding wildlife Section 13 48 075 of the Huntington Beach Municipal Code prohibits the feeding of wildlife on City property Response Plan A detailed tiered response plan has been developed to provide a mechanism for identifying and classifying different levels of human and coyote interactions Definitions of coyote encounters are listed in Appendix A Appendix B provides a chart detailing coyote behavior, behavior classification, and recommended responses 3 1 P a g e City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan I. Background The City of Huntington Beach does not own or have any control of the wild animals found within its boundaries, nor is the City responsible for the actions of damage caused by them. These animals are a common and important part of our natural ecosystem. The City of Huntington Beach contracts with Orange County Animal Care and City staff do not respond to calls for service for normal coyote behavior, such as sightings. However,the Huntington Beach Police Department(HBPD)does track coyote sightings, aggressive behavior,and attacks. Although the City of Huntington Beach places a high value on wildlife, some individual animals adapted to urban environments have the potential to cause problems and/or conflicts in specific situations. In addressing problems, the City promotes policies supporting prevention and implementation of remedial measures that do not harm the wildlife or their habitats. A wildlife problem is defined as any situation that causes a health or safety issue to its residents. In cases where problems with wildlife are associated with human behavior(leaving garbage exposed or intentional wildlife feeding), ordinances and enforcement may be enacted to minimize conflict. In some instances, traditional management tools to effectively manage urban wildlife are ineffective. For example, relocation of coyotes is not ecologically tl� sound and in many instances is prohibited by the +" `� r California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). i Generally, relocated animals do not survive the transfer. If they do, they rarely stay in their relocated area and tend to disperse to other locations where they may cause problems to humans, be involved in territorial disputes, or - introduce disease. In some instances, the translocated coyote will go to great lengths to return to its previous home. For these reasons, the CDFW rarely allows relocation. As a last resort, lethal control measures, when employed are controversial and non-selective; they target the alpha coyote or "problem" coyote. If they are used, they must be humane and in compliance with federal and state laws. It is not economically, or ecologically justified to attempt to remove all coyotes from the urban ecosystem as a means of addressing conflicts between humans and coyotes. Attempts made by local, state, and federal agencies as well as private organizations over the past century have proven to be ineffective. it. The Coyote(Canis latrans) Coyotes are originally native to California and several other western states. Due to their intelligence, adaptability, and the decline of other predatory species due to urban sprawl, coyotes 4 1 P a g e City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan have sccessfully expanded their range Coyotes are now found in all states except Hawaii and have sucessfully established themselves in every urban ecosystem across North America Coyotes play an important role in the urban ecosystem, particularly as a top-predator They eat a broad range of small animals, including squirrels, mice, rabbits, rats,and gophers Rodents make up a majority of their diet In the process, they control the population sizes of these animals, many of which are considered pests to humans The coyotes also prey on "mesopredators," such as raccoons and oppossums Without a top predator like the coyote to keep them in check, mesopredators can dramatically reduce bird populations by eating their eggs (Crooks and Soule, 1999) Coyotes also disperse seeds of native plant species and recycle nutrients It is hard to track and inventory coyote populations, making it difficult to know if the number of coyotes has increased in a particular area What is known is that coyotes can become habituated to humans if they are intentionally or unintentionally fed, which can lead to loss of fear of people and bolder behavior In general, coyotes regularly roam an area of about two to five square miles to obtain enough food for the pack members Normally, each pack is a territorial family group made up of three to ten individuals A portion of the area the pack inhabits is the pack's territory, which they will defend from other coyotes The number of mature coyotes in the pack is often related to the amount of food resources in the territory A coyote pack usually has only one breeding (or alpha) female This female often produces more pups than can be supported by the pack Young coyotes may leave the pack at about nine to eleven months of age, but dispersal patterns are highly variable These juvenile coyotes become transients Other types of transients include older individuals that can no longer defend their role as upper level pack members and are pushed out of the pack Transient coyotes move all over in narrow undefended zones that exist between pack territories searching for an open habitat to occupy or group to join They often die before they succeed (many are hit by vehicles) It is largely because of the constant influx of transients, that coyote eradication programs fail Removing a group of territorial coyotes will create an undefended area into which the transient coyotes will r' flow At all times of the year, numbers of transients are Imit tva1 front Not immediately available to replenish any voids created by killing resident coyotes Furthermore, if either they 5 alpha male or alpha female in a pack is killed, ovulation r in other breeding-age females is often triggered and a hind f"a f4$1, corresponding increase in the number of litters and/or number of pups per litter is observed eat Truis Oog rrack% Coyote Appearance- What do Coyotes Look Like 2 Coyotes vary in color from gray-brown to yellow-gray Their backs have tawny-colored underfurand long overcoats with black-tipped guard hairs The latter forms a dorsal stripe and dark band over their shoulders Their throats and bellies tend to be buff or white in color Coyotes have long legs, small paws, large pointed ears, and a pointed snout Weighing between 15 and 40 pounds, but their long legs can make them appear larger -- - - - - - - - - - - 5I Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan How and Where do Coyotes Live? Coyotes may live alone, in pairs, or in family groups with one breeding pair, generally mating once a year, usually January through February. Social organization and group size are highly correlated with food availability. The rest of the group is comprised of multiple generations of offspring. Pups are born March through May. The entire group protects the pups though pup mortality averages between 50 and 70 percent in the first year. Litter size depends on available resources and the number of coyotes in the area. Although a litter varies from two to twelve pups, the average is six or seven. Pups remain in the den the first six weeks and then travel with the adults. By the end of the summer; they are more independent, yet, may still travel with parents and siblings. Because coyotes are socially organized, the group raises the young and defends their territory from other coyotes. Territories do not overlap. Although they generally live in groups,coyotes often travel alone or in pairs. In the urban areas, most coyotes live in large parks,golf courses, greenbelts, and natural open space where they find food and cover. Thus,their territory may follow the park or open space boundaries. They are extremely adaptable in creating territories under a wide range of urban conditions. How do Humans Perceive Coyotes? People respond to coyotes in various ways. Some observe them with enjoyment, others with indifference and some with fear or concern. Experiences range from animal sightings without incident, to stalking, killing of pets or, at the extreme, an attack on a person. Coyote attacks on humans are very infrequent. Although such incidents generate significant media coverage, they remain a very rare event. Because wild animals conjure up fear in some people, actual sightings and perceptions may become exaggerated or misconstrued (see Appendix A). The wide range in perceptions of urban coyotes from Huntington Beach residents supports the need for strong and consistent educational messages to clarify management techniques. III. Coyote Attractants in Urban Areas Coyotes are drawn to urban and suburban areas for the following reasons: 1. Food—Urban areas often support large numbers of rodents, including mice and rats. However, coyotes can be further attracted into suburban neighborhoods by human-associated food such as pet food, unsecured compost or trash, and fallen fruit. 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. To reduce food attractants in urban and suburban areas: ➢ Never hand feed or otherwise deliberately feed a coyote. 6 1 P a g e City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan ➢ Avoid feeding pets outside Remove sources of pet food and water that a coyote could easily access If feeding pets outside is necessary, promptly remove the bowl and any leftover food ➢ Never include meat or dairy in a compost pile ➢ Maintain good housekeeping,such as regularly raking areas around bird feeders ➢ Remove fallen fruit from the ground ➢ Keep trash in high-quality containers with tight-fitting lids Only place the cans curbside the morning of collection If left out overnight, trash cans are more likely to be tipped over and explored ➢ Bag especially attractive food wastes, such as meat scraps or leftover pet food before discarding 2 Water — Urban areas provide a year-round supply in the form of stormwater runoff, artificial lakes, irrigation, pet water dishes, etc,which support both coyotes and their prey ➢ During drought or otherwise dry conditions, water can be as alluring as food, so remove water bowls set outside for pets and make watering cans unavailable 3 Access to Shelter — parks, greenbelts, open spaces, golf courses, buildings, sheds, decks and crawl spaces, etc, increase the amount of variability of cover for coyotes They allow coyotes to safely and easily remain close to people, pets, homes and businesses without detection ➢ In the spring, when coyotes give birth and begin to raise young, they concentrate their activities around dens or burrows in which their young are sheltered Coyotes may take advantage of available spaces under sheds or decks for use as a den, bringing them into close contact with people and pets 4 Unattended Pets—Pets are a normal part of an urban landscape Within their territory, coyotes may consider pets as potential prey or potential competitors ➢ Free roaming pets, especially cats and sometimes small dogs, may attract coyotes into a neighborhood The best way to minimize risk to pets is to not leave them outside unattended ➢ Cats—Coyotes primarily eat small mammals such as mice and rats, but will also prey on slightly larger mammals such as rabbits and groundhogs Approximately the same size as a groundhog or rabbit, free-roaming outdoor cats may also be seen as eligible prey items by coyotes It is important to note that attacks on cats are normal coyote behavior and do not indicate danger for humans The best way to protect cats from coyotes (and the other dangers of outside life, such as cars, disease, dogs, and other wildlife) is to keep cats primarily indoors and only let them outside in a secure enclosure or when accompanied by a person and under the control of a leash and/or harness 7 1 P a g e City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan ➢ Feral Cats—People who feed feral cats are often concerned that coyotes might prey on the cats These concerns are well founded, as coyotes can be attracted to the outdoor pet food Although there is no sure way to protect feral cats from coyotes the following tips can be helpful i Do not feed feral cats Doing so can have other unintentional consequences, including ecological damage ii Provide escape routes for cats iii Haze coyotes seen on the property (see Appendix C) Making them feel uncomfortable will encourage them to stay out of the area ➢ Dogs — Dogs are also vulnerable to coyote confrontations These incidents generally involve coyotes who are accustomed or habituated to people (usually from feeding), or coyotes who are protecting their territory and pups(usually during breeding season) Small, unattended dogs may be seen as potential prey It is important to either keep dogs on a six-foot long or shorter leash when outdoors or to stay within six feet of them when on your property Coyotes may view a dog on a leash longer than six feet as an unattended pet This is especially important if you are in or near nature preserves or open-space areas Attacks on unattended, small dogs are normal coyote behavior and do not indicate a danger to people Although attacks on larger dogs are rare, coyotes will sometimes go after a large dog when they feel that their territory is threatened This generally occurs during the coyote breeding season,which takes place from January through March During this time, it is especially important not to let dogs outside unattended and to keep them on leashes (six feet long or less) when in public areas Do not allow dogs off leash, it is against the law and is unsafe Other domestic animals kept outside, such as rabbits, may also be viewed as prey by coyotes Protect outdoor animals from coyotes (and other predators) with protective fencing and/or confine them in sturdy cages each evening Residents are encouraged to use the Yard Audit Checklist (Appendix D)as a tool to help recognize and remove attractants in their yards and neighborhoods While human attacks are very rare, urban landscape development, habituation through intentional and unintentional feeding, pet related incidents and media attention have led some urban residents to fear coyotes Steps must be taken to address safety concerns, misconceptions, and appropriate responses to potential threats to human safety It is important to keep in mind that coyotes have been in and around Huntington Beach for a very long time IV. Hazing and Behavioral Change 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 8 1 P a g e City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Overview of Hazing Hazing is a process whereby a person or a number of individuals encountering a coyote respond in like manner to make a coyote afraid and choose to leave a situation where their presence is unwanted The following are various types of hazing methods ➢ Basic Hazing—This method consists of standing your ground, never ignoring or turning your back to a coyote(s), and yelling and/or making unpleasant and frightening noises until the animal(s)choose to leave If the coyote does not leave, more aggressive tactics are in order ➢ More Aggressive Hazing — This consists of approaching an animal more quickly and aggressively, throwing projectiles like stones near, but not at, the animal, spraying with a hose or water gun, or creating more heightened fear of contact so the animal flees For more options,see Appendix C on haxing Hazing must 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 an animal more resistant to hazing instead of reinforcing the image that "people are scary" Hazing never involves injury to the animal, only threat of injury An injured animal becomes less predictable than a normal healthy one A common concern with hazing involves potential danger to the hazer A coyote's basic instinct is very skittish and this nature is what makes the technique useful A normal healthy coyote is very unlikely to escalate a situation with a person who is aggressively hazing It is important that the hazer provides the coyote a clear escape route free to flee and not corner the animal A cornered animal may decide that attacking the hazer is the only option Elements of an effective hazing campaign include 1 Pet owners need to protect pets Off-leash and unattended dogs and cats attract coyotes (as does pet food) 2 Residents need to learn hazing effectiveness and techniques A hazing program must be instituted, maintained and evaluated on a regular basis 3 Hazing needs to be active for a sustained period of time to achieve the desired change in behavior 4 Hazing requires monitoring to assess its effectiveness and to determine if further action or more aggressive hazing is needed V. Monitoring and Collecting Data Monitoring and collecting data on coyote populations,sightings, and attacks are critical components of an effective Coyote Management Plan This is best accomplished with input from both residents and city officials Coyote sightings or incidents can be reported to the Huntington Beach Police Department at (714) 536-5913 or online at http://www huntingtonbeachca gov/i want to/covote- incident-report.cfm#sthash.cTTPVOBH dpuf The purpose of monitoring human-coyote interactions is to document where coyotes are frequently seen and to identify human-coyote conflict hotspots (if they exist) Gathering specific data on incidents will allow for targeting of educational campaigns and conflict mitigation efforts, as well as the ability to measure success in reducing conflicts over time City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan VI. Enforcement The act of feeding wildlife is known to lead to an increase in wildlife activity Feeding can attract coyotes and their prey to an area leading to an increased likliehood of creating habituated coyote(s) resulting in increases in coyote and human interactions California law prohibits feeding wildlife Huntington Beach Police Officers, Orange County Animal Control Officers, and Huntington Beach Code Enforcement Officers will strictly enforce State law(s) and Huntington Beach Municipal Code Section 13 48 075 pertaining to this activity The following will be enforced California Code of Regulations Title 14 §251.1. Harassment of Animals Except as otherwise authorized in these regulations or in the Fish & Game Code, no person shall harass, herd or drive any game or nongame bird or mammal or furbearing mammal For the purposes of this section, harass is defined as an intentional act which disrupts an animal's normal behavior patterns, which includes, but is not limited to breeding,feeding, or sheltering City of Huntington Beach Municipal Code Title 13 13.48.075 Feeding Widlife on City Property Prohibited Unless specifically authorized by the Director of Community Services in writing, no person shall feed, disturb, or have physical contact with wildlife on City property VII. Response and Attack Plan A detailed tiered response plan has been developed to provide a mechanism for identifying and classifying different levels of human and coyote interactions Definitions of coyote encounters are listed in Appendix A and Appendix B provides a chart detailing coyote behavior, behavior classification, and recommended responses If a human is attacked and physically injured by a coyote, the Huntington Beach Police Department will lethally remove the offending animal and/or contact the California Department of Fish and Game City staff may then work to lethally remove the responsible coyote(s) Since coyotes are considered "non-game wildlife" any resident or Homeowner's Association Board of Directors can initiate, at their own expense, action to protect themselves and their private property from coyote attacks Threat Level Tiered Response Level Green Behavior—A coyote is seen or heard in an area Sighting may be during the day or night Coyote may be seen moving through the area Response—Education and hazing needed Level Yellow Behavior—A coyote appears to frequently associate with humans or human-related food sources and exhibits little wariness of human presence Coyote is seen during the day resting or continuously moving through an area frequented by people Response — Education and aggressive hazing needed, volunteer hazing team created Level Orange Behavior—A coyote is involved in an incident(s) where there is a domestic animal 101Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan loss Several level orange incidents in the same general area may indicate the presence of a habituated coyote(s) Response — Education and aggressive hazing needed, volunteer hazing team created, and public awareness of incident(s) and circumstances addressed If multiple level orange incidents have occurred in the same vicinity within a short amount of time, lethal removal may be recommended Level Red Behavior — A coyote that has been involved in an investigated and documented provoked or unprovoked close encounter or attack on humans Response—City staff may work to lethally remove the responsible coyote(s) after a thorough investigation of the incident(s) Vill. Public Education and Outreach Education is the key to having residents make appropriate decisions regarding their safety or managing their property and pets This involves decreasing attractants, increasing pet safety, and creating reasonable expectations of normal coyote behavior Learning how to repsond to a coyote encounter empowers residents and can help reduce undesired coyote behaviors The public should understand what normal coyote behavior is when living inclose proximity with coyotes For example, vocalization is normal acceptable behavior and does not indicate aggression Education and outreach efforts by the City will focus on ➢ Understanding human safety, pet safety, coyote attractants, deterrents to coyotes on private property, including appropriate fencing, exclusion techniques,"what to do"tips, and infromation on appropriate hazing techniques ➢ Developing a common language and awareness of normal versus abnormal behavior when discussing encounters with coyotes(see definitions in Appendix A) ➢ Dissemination of information to residents, businesses, and schools through the City's website,Channel 3,social media,traditional media,fliers/handouts, mailers,etc ➢ Consulting with land managers, non-profit organizations (e g The Humane Society), and agencies like the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that provide public education materials, programs, and expertise 111Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Appendix A Definitions of Encounters with Coyotes Active Coexistence — Humans and coyotes exist together 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) Hazing is not appropriate in a designated nature reserve or similar open space, unless the coyote exhibits threatening behavior to persons or leashed pets Attack—A human is injured or killed by a coyote Provoked — 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 6' in length, or a human intentionally corners, injures, tries to injure, attempts to capture or feeds the coyote Unprovoked An unprovoked attack or incident where the human involved does not encourage the coyote to engage Pet Attack Attended animal loss or miury—When a person is within 6' of the pet and the pet is on leash and is attacked and injured or killed by a coyote Domestic animal loss or iniury — A coyote injures or kills a pet Also includes "depredation" predation of domestic pets Animal loss or injury is considered the result of normal coyote behavior Subjected Pet Attack — A coyote is an opportunistic feeder and may feed on recently dead or dying animals, especially cats that were hit or killed by cars or other means The eaten remains may be found and suggest the animal was attacked by a coyote In cases where Animal Control Officers respond to these calls,without knowledge of an actual attack,the incident will be recorded as a suspected attack Encounter—An unexpected, direct meeting between a human and a coyote that is without incident Feeding Intentional Feeding — When a person or persons actively and intentionally feeds coyotes or provides food for animals in the coyote food chain Unintentional Feeding—When a person or persons are unintentionally providing access to food Some examples are accessible compost, fallen fruit from trees, open sheds and doors, and pet food left outdoors Unintentional Feeding (Bird Feeders) — When a person or persons bird feeders inadvertently provides food for coyotes (e g birds, bird feeders, rodents, and squirrels) Bird feeders must be kept high enough from the ground so a coyote is unable to reach the feeding animals The area under the bird feeder must be kept clean and free of residual bird food 121Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Hazing—A training method that employs immediate use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage undesirable behavior or activity Hazing techniques include loud noises, spraying water, bright lights, throwing objects near but not at the animal, and shouting Hazing can help maintain a coyote's fear of humans and deter them from neighborhood spaces, such as backyards and play spaces Hazing does not and should not injure or damage animals, humans,or property Threat Incident—A conflict between a human and coyote where the coyote approaches a human and growls, bares teeth or lunges, injures or kills an attended domestic animal A human is not injured Stalking Incident—A conflict between a human and a coyote,where the coyote follows a person with or without an attended pet on a leash A human is not injured 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 anytime of the day or night Unsecured Trash—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) 131Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Appendix B Coyote Behavior Classification • • . En, '1P In `��il all { C is P' 4 V W "Ilk . Sighting Level Green Provide education materials and information on normal coyote behavior. • . - eE'!t� �' ��V��1 1i � 4 h itl It i 1-o Yid Will� � . - Sighting Level Yellow If area frequented by people,educate on -.. - normal behavior and haze to encourage animal to leave. Look for and eliminate attractants %"%fl p •- ` �atc. ^`'all �i� p 0� . - Encounter Level Yellow Educate on coyote attractants,yard audit, hazing information, pet safety information. pVuV ii �i ti ME �s oiiWel gp _- - � re n and [, a 0 -It;rt� 1 � to ya .' . - • . Pet Attack Level Orange Gather information on specific animals involved, report circumstances, educate on coyote attractants, yard/neighborhood audits, hazing, and pet safety. • • - . . • d -TTirt wi uIVi �ullni au am Nu a �j .• .. ' � I1�9��I ' tl et o IZ r t �.i�,,,1j� -a I�h r !1( .. -s�.=-•�i . - Sighting Encounter Level Red Educate on hazing techniques and What to Do Tips and pet safety. Lethal removal considered if there is no response from the coyote to aggressive hazing, and there is evidence of recurrence Orr �s� e odf � .• 11i in o a dVote-. de �I `.trtl� t __ _ 141 Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan . - Pet Attack Level Red Gather information on specific animals .-. involved,document circumstances, educate on coyote attractants, yard/neighborhood audits, hazing, pet safety. Lethal removal recommended Level Redspec - ���Ibu� --• ,�� �iu��q�i�Il� l�l���llli�illll� � �� •• • •- i'I�I���V4�II�10 9�G � 7 �n IlboC `!�� iv I, a �It ilk R01 1, tsa ' i L req_ ..,nU�l „4 � �. . - • . Attack Level Red Identify and gather information on specific animal involved, report circumstances,educate on coyote attractants,yard/neighborhood audits, hazing,and pet safety. City staff will inform the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Lethal removal recommended. _ _ 15 1 Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Appendix C Hazing Program and Training Plan Hazing and Behavioral Change Some urban coyotes have become comfortable in close proximity to people To safely coexist, it is important to modify this behavior and attitude in resident coyote populations Urban coyote behavior needs to be reshaped to avoid contact with humans and pets Hazing is the process that facilitates the change and is, by necessity, a community response to encounters with coyotes The more often an individual coyote is hazed, the more effective hazing is in changing its behavior Hazing employs immediate use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage undesirable behavior or activity Deterrents include loud noises, spraying water, bright lights, throwing objects, and shouting Hazing can help maintain a coyote's fear of humans and discourage them from neighborhoods, greenbelts, backyards, and play areas Hazing does not harm or damage animals, humans, or property Behavioral change also involves human activities such as how to identify and remove attractants and how to responsibly protect pets Foundation of Hazing 1. It is not economically,ecologically,or in other ways efficient to try and remove coyotes from the urban ecosystem 2. 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 ➢ 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 attractants, identify potentially dangerous situations for their pets and themselves, and respond in a manner designed to change coyote behavior ➢ To provide residents information and tools to actively engage in reshaping coyote behavior and to support feeling safe in their parks and neighborhoods This can be accomplished by teaching residents hazing techniques The latter will be initiated by community volunteers ➢ To model hazing behavior and share accurate information about coyotes among other residents, friends, and family ➢ Monitor hazing by volunteers to assess its effectiveness and determine if further action or more aggressive hazing is needed ➢ Develop long-term community based hazing programs using volunteers General Considerations 1 Levels of hazing need to be appropriately relevant to coyote behavior/activity 161Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan a Coyotes live in open spaces and the best practice is to leave them alone and educate the public on personal safety b Urban coyotes are often out late at night when few people are present This is normal acceptable behavior Hazing may not be necessary c Exceptions — In early stages of hazing, programs should still engage animals Coyotes that associate danger in the presence of people under all circumstances will be more wary and more likely to avoid contact 2 Hazing must be more exaggerated, aggressive, and consistent during initial program implementation 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 with the desired outcome(to leave) 3 Techniques and tools can be used in the same manner for one or multiple animals Usually there is a dominant animal 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 4 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 modifying that animal's behavior 5 Hazing must be able to see the person involved in the hazing actions The coyote must be aware of where the potential threat is coming from and associate it with the person 6 Coyotes can and do recognize individual people and animals in their territories They can learn to avoid or harass specific individuals in response to behavior of the person and/or pet 7 Coyotes can be routine in habit 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 8 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 people 9 Changes in human behavior are necessary for hazing to be effective Therefore, possible coyote attractants should be identified and removed 10 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 11 Coyotes are skittish by nature Habituated behavior is learned and reinforced by human behavior 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, people should not haze the animal, should remove themselves from the 171Page ,qqq City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan situation and then inform appropriate agencies (Orange County Animal Care, Department of Fish and Wildlife) 12 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 Training Program Because coexisting with wildlife involves the community, initiating the hazing training programs and hazing activities by volunteers must be supervised by experts Without this support, such programs ultimately fail Information should include basic training on background, coyote ecology information, an overview of hazing and examples of techniques Materials should be provided such as handouts, contact information, and resources when questions, comments, and concerns come up relating to coyotes Volunteers need to learn about coyote behavior and understand realistic expectations, normal versus abnormal coyote behavior, and have a consistent response to residents' concerns and comments Hazing Training for Volunteers Hazing requires community involvement, understanding, and support Residents are best equipped to respond consistently and at the most opportune times in their own neighborhoods, greenbelts, parks, and open spaces 1 Locations of trainings offered should be based on data accumulated from the public on coyote activity in specific neighborhoods,greenbelts, parks, and/or open spaces 2 Training should be free to the public 3 Topics that need to be covered include but are not limited to a Basic Coyote Information b Discussion on why coyotes are present c Normal and abnormal coyote behavior d Seasonal behavioral changes—breeding season, pups,denning behavior, etc e Reality of dangers towards people vs danger towards pets f Children and coyotes g How human behavior influences coyote behavior h Attractants i Tips on deterring animals from entering private property j Appropriate response when encountering a coyote k What is hazing,goals, how to engage I Appropriate hazing techniques and tools m Pet safety tips 4 Volunteers shall be placed on a confidential email list Updates, additional coyote information, electronic flyers and handouts will be sent to volunteers All information can and should be sent out to interested parties 181Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan S Volunteers shall be notified of"hot spots" and asked to haze in the area 6 Volunteers should be asked for feedback on hazing training and the effectiveness of hazing techniques 7 Volunteers shall email detailed accounts of encounters and hazing effectiveness to keep other volunteers informed on progress,tools and techniques that work, and tools and techniques that should be employed Accounts should include the following a Date,time of day, location, and number of animals b Initial coyote behavior, hazing behavior,coyote response Summary of Hazing Hazing is a process whereby volunteers and individuals, respond in like manner to make a coyote uncomfortable and choose to leave 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 coyote(s)chooses to leave 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 NOTE - Many projectiles are not legal including but not limited to slingshots, bows and arrows, or guns that fire bullets, pellets,or paint or pepper balls Hazing must continue once it begins until the animal leaves Otherwise, the coyote will learn to "wait" until the person gives up Inconsistent hazing will create an animal more resistant to hazing instead of reinforcing the image that"people are scary" Hazing should never injure the animal An injured animal becomes less predictable versus a healthy one who responds in a consistent and predictable manner to hazing Hazing should be conducted in a manner that allows the coyote to return to a desirable area 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 if possible Hazing uses a variety of different tools Variation is critical so that coyotes do not habituate to a particular tool or method Examples of hazing tools include 1 Noisemakers—voice,whistles, air horns, bells, "shaker"cans, pots, pie pans, etc 2 Projectiles—sticks,small rocks,cans,tennis balls, rubber balls, etc 3 Deterrents—hoses, spray bottles with vinegar, pepper spray, bear repellent, umbrellas,walking sticks,etc 191 Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Appendix D Yard Audit Checklist • .. . NEVER hand feed or intentionally feed a coyote . . . Never feed pets outdoors;store all pet food securely indoors. Remove water attractants (such as pet water bowls and leaky irrigation) in dry climates. Remove all bird feeders or clean fallen seed to reduce the presence of small mammals that coyotes prefer to eat. Clean up fallen fruit around trees. Do not include meat or dairy among compost contents unless fully enclosed. : : • Clean-up food around barbecue grills after each use. Secure all trash containers with locking lids and place curbside the morning of trash pick- up. Periodically clean cans to reduce residual odors. Trim vegetation to reduce hiding places and potential denning sites. • Restrict access under decks and sheds, around woodpiles, or any other structure that can provide cover of denning sites for coyotes and their prey. Enclose property with an 8 foot fence(or 6- foot fence with an additional extension or roller-top)to deter coyotes. 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 HB Municipal Code. Never leave pets unattended. Never allow pets to play with coyotes. Fully enclose outdoor pet kennels. Walk pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet in length. 201Page City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Appendix E References City of Newport Beach Coyote Management Plan City of Seal Beach Coyote Management Plan City of Rancho Palos Verdes Coyote Management Plan City of Calabasas Coyote Management Plan City of Davis Coyote Management Plan Humane Society of United States—A Template Coyote Management&Coexistence Plan 21 Page 12/21/2015 �I � I �--illi� I�ulilll COYOTE MANAGEMENT PLAN �" _ 'Ill ''� d 191U II'igll u 1 - IpIN,I�jI I I ""m1Vllllllljjppull, � u u 1 c .c de aj1 ������� ��� ����Iljlllj�I „" �I�u111111IIIIIIII' I'lllll�ll!IIIIIIIIIIIIII'I� ,'�I'I'llil: �Illllllllllllilllll�ll�ll��llllhll�'I�Illllpul�llll'l, _, �I�I�Illlllll�llllllilll'll lu' Ij� �!I First Steps Illlllili III I I j1 I J1,1 IIII IIP III I lPjljji�l Ill,11 i��IIIIIII III I' l j'°V"' v'41,11'j ll llllllihl�' lillll�'jlll � I i l j I �', I'll IIV "IIIIIII "Illllll'II Il I u1 II,11 III I rl Ilh III I I IIIuIII1�ll d,f lhllll III I� III IIII' .IIIIIII Ilullll�lllllllj�jlll u11 ,'_ yllll I,I � I IIIIIII srl�u I I ' "I_;,II,I�III I 1 I I W I"'IIII'I I,II IIIVu�I III I III...I II I r III. ' ��'I' III III llll'I I dLl L III IIIII I � � I,Ilpl 'IIVII,IIlllti°illlljlli'Vpp V, .; IIINII'Iljlll�l ,_—.1 I I u _ � I� �lhlVl Illllllll Ill ��IIIII6: I IIII, I� I l � Vh I vi., _ — IIIIIII �...i �` III�jl�l1v1 .,II,i�il Pl 1II'I ulj - 'IIIII du'. III"III.._=vl l III 1V I'I''"� w >JIIV iv lipl IIIII i li I I VI II6 I i I tlilillll@ — VI'I III IIII II� Jliu54l",? IIII lllflllllll�Illlyl�lllll awl' uutl u ''ItlIIIIIIVIII��r11�u6ullu,u'IIm�--171'IIIIIII. �.1i I "�I ;-II9 hII'�u IIII I II�IIVIII ���h�IV�111� II��� =��11I1i�h� N w N Po iu o- .� illp � ✓I sLiPPLEM � p li p ENTAL, COMMUNICATION Mleebng Date: �A — i1 P 1 Agenda Item No.� Li 12/21/2015 Formulating the City's Response 9�K. m hill _ Ili 11111lllugl �K .:.it it - iIil 11 �I,II, Listened to the concerns from residents, concerned non-governmental groups, and Coyote activists. Researched the response from surrounding communities. Reviewed existing Coyote Management Plans. > Analyzed guidelines from the Humane Society of the United States. Researched coyote ecology. The Coyote lllllRI UP lillllllllll f .�',.IIII�IIIIII pi - illlui,lul Illlllllill r...,. Illlllllllllillllll �l�lillllilll�ll,".�iillllllllllillliillllll �I�I IIIII I�III_ ❑ Historically coyotes have existed in and around Huntington Beach finding safe haven in open space. ❑ Coyotes are opportunistic & versatile carnivores. ❑ Generally, coyotes are reclusive, skittish animals who avoid human contact. ❑ Have a dietary resilience. I ❑ As habitat disappears they become urbanized. II -I�I�Ilo,ll� "� wll°'il 2 12/21/2015 Coyote Management Plan Goal & Strategy ❑ The Plan enables the City to manage the amplified presence of coyotes with an emphasis on education, hazing, and lastly employing lethal means of removal only when the safety of the public is at stake. ❑ Main strategy is comprised of a three prong approach: o Public Education o Enforcement 0 Ensuring Public Safety Coyote Management Plan - Education �i'�I ul!!I!Ilu'lyl�l _ - !uulllulllllllluullllulllll lllu!!Pd!uullllllulilill!illluliu iluu i, N ii iluuilu ❑ Education is the key to having residents make appropriate decisions regarding their safety or managing their property and pets. ❑ This will involve decreasing attractants, increasing pet safety, and creating reasonable expectation of normal coyote behavior. ❑ Learning how to respond to a coyote encounter empowers residents and helps to reduce undesired coyote behaviors. 3 12/21/2015 Enforcement ❑ The act of feeding wildlife is strictly prohibited and HBPD will enforce State and local laws prohibiting this activity. s - - Response Plan Behavior.-,A coyote is seen or heard in an aroa. Sighting marbei during the day or night. Coyote may be i d Level Green seen moving through the area. Response.—Education and hazing needed. Behavior—A coyote appears to frequently associate with humans or human-related food sources and. Level Yellow exhibits little wariness of human presence. Coyote is seen during the day resting or continuously moving, through:an area frequented by people. Response—Education and aggressive hazing needed,volunteer hazing team created. Behavior A coyote is involved in an incident(s)where there is an attended ltlbmestic animal loss, Several level orange incidents in the same general area may indicate the presence of a habituated coyotes). LevelOrange Response—Education.And aggressive hazing needed,volunteer hazing team created,and public awareness of inciderit(s)and circumstances addressed. If multiple level orange incidents have occurred in the same vidnity within a short'..amount of time,lethal removal may,.be recommended. 4 12/21/2015 I III �r IIIII I � II I Questions? ',lpjjj9,ll,,,I I, Illlilllll mg Ildzl�:M 5 Esparza, Patty From: Dombo, Johanna Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 9 31 AM To: Agenda Alerts Subject: FW Coyote Plan looks good SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATION From: Rebecca Dmytryk [mailto help@humanecontrol com] e811i7g Date: /,A -2/ Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 8 46 AM To: CITY COUNCIL Subject: Coyote Plan looks good Agenda Item No. Good morning and Happy Holidays ) Perhaps you've heard of me - I gave a couple of talks on coyotes and hazing a few months ago, sponsored by the City of Long Beach They were well-received. I also went through one of the"hot spots" and found a natal den(very unusual) and hazed a coyote I then evicted the coyotes from their den and placed repellers at an additional location that was being frequented All very effective Here is the post about it http://humane-wildlife-control blogsbot com/2015/08/long-beach-coyotes.html If I can be of assistance to the City, through neighborhood audits, community presentations, hazing etc , please let me know if you'd like and we can discuss a contract for our services My company is fully insured and probably the most experienced boots-on-the-ground provider of these unique services you'll find locally. We also have a program for those who are experiencing problems with coyotes but who cannot afford or are unwilling to spend money to make the necessary changes to their yard, fence or animal enclosure - it's called the Coyote Challenge. Check it out http //humane-wildlife-control blogspot com/2015/05/take-coyote-challenge html As for your current coyote management plan, it looks very good to me - very balanced There are a couple of changes I'd like you to consider. Appendix B: Coyote Following or Approaching a Person w/o a Pet (Stalking) I rticommend changing this from stalkm`,-Y to following Coyotes do not see humans as prey, but, life the jackal that follows the lion, it's hope is the lion will lead to a meal from which it can scavenge Coyotes view humans the same way, and they are correct (unfortunately) - we lead to places and circumstances where they will find food Coyote Following or Approaching a Person & Pet (Stalking) Again, I'd like to see this changed to (following or possibly stalling of the pet) for the reason abos e as well as the fact the the coyote may not be viewing a dog on leash as prey but as a challenge, and the coyote may i be "escorting"the canid from "their" territory Depending on the coyotes behavior and time of year, it would be -,vise to include a neiLhborbood audit for a possible den site Coyote Aggressive, Showing Teeth,Back Fur Raised, Lunging,Nipping w/o Contact-Lethal removal recommended. Depending on the circumstances, this might be a situation where someone encounters an adult with pups nearby (which is a problem itself and can be dealt with sep arately) Unlikely, but possible I'd like to see this changed to I,cthal removal considered If there is a natal den, this can be dealt with in a different manner We should apply pressure to get the parents to move the pups (I have done this before. suceess-�ally)to another site What I think we all want to avoid is a situation where the adults are trapped and killed, and dependent pups are found- that would not be good Appendix D: Enclose property with an 8 foot fence (or 6-foot fence with an additional extension or roller-top)to deter coyotes 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 HB Municipal Code 1 recommend th-s wording instead Fences with vertical bars only. like a wrought iron fence, is difficult for an animal to climb but the space bet\\een the bars must be small enough that a coyote cannot slip through A six- foot :vrought iron fence with 4"� gaps between the bars should be suiiicient to pr:vent a coyote Isom entering a yard Coyotes have been known to ehmb 10' cyclone fencing (chain link) with barbed wire extensions at the top Cyclone fencing should be at least 6' high with either a"roll-bar". angled-out or flexible extension at the top to pre\ent access into a yard Solar eneratzed wire borders are also effective in preventing animals from accessing yards or animal enclosures To prevent animals from digging under a fence, wire should be buried into the ground about a shovel-depth and angled out a shovel-width" in the direction of the intrusion Must comply with HB Municipal Code I'll be giving you a call this morning to introduce myself I could potentially show up tonight for the meeting, but I really don't want to get caught up in all the hype and hysteria- there's no need for that. Anyway, I just wanted to give you my thoughts on your coyote response plan and avail our services to you Respectfully, Rebecca Dmytryk Owner, Humane Wildlife Control CEO, Wildlife Emergency Services 1-855-548-6263 2 Print Request Page 1 of 2 Request: 24661 Entered on: 12/18/2015 2:00 PM Customer Information Name:Kevin Phone:(714) 334-0865 Address: Alt. Phone- Huntington Beach, CA Email:timeisinhishands@aol com 92647 Request Classification Topic.City Council -Agenda & Public Request type.Problem Hearing Status:Closed Priority:Normal Assigned to:Agenda Alerts Entered Via:Web Description Members of the city council, I am a resident of Huntington Beach and I read the newspaper to see that you are currently addressing the coyote problem While walking my dogs towards murdy park on two separate occasions I have had a huge coyote attempt to attack my little dogs from behind me I was able to chase it off on both walks On one occasion I watched an orange county animal control officer chasing down a huge a coyote in broad daylight right here at the fields where young children where with parents practicing ocean view little league baseball At the late evening and early morning hours coming home from work occasionally I will see these coyotes running in packs of two or more I am an animal lover and I do love all the nature that the Good Lord has given us However, safety must come first to all citizens of any city especially are toddlers and elderly who are not able to fight off an aggressive coyote I am concerned about the safety of children we have around here who are playing in their yards or at the playground I am begging you to please get rid of the coyotes Reason Closed Thank you for taking the time to send your thoughts to the City Council A copy of your comments has been entered into the Pipeline system and will also be forwarded to the City Clerk to be included in the record on this item Thank you very much for writing Sincerely, SUPPLEMENTAL Johanna Dombo COMMUNICATION Executive Assistant Date Expect Closed: 12/29/2015 Meeting Date: 4A a/_ f I— Date Closed: 12/21/2015 08 05 AM By: Johanna Dombo Agenda Iterti R10. Enter Field Notes Below Notes: http //user govoutreach.com/surfclty/printrequest php?cured=2486927&type=0 12/21/2015 Print Request Page 2 of 2 Notes Taken By: Date. http //user govoutreach com/surfcity/pnntrequest.php?cured=2486927&type=0 12/21/2015 Estanislau, Robin From: Arminda Diaz[arminda@d3architecture com] Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 2 25 PM To: CITY COUNCIL Subject- Trapping or no trapping/ Dec 21 Meeting Please do not consider trapping Trapping is cruel and inhumane Trapping also leads to accidental trapping of pets and other wildlife Coyotes are essential part of the ecosystem and humans must adapt to life with wildlife Keep your pets indoors as responsible citizens if you don't want your pets eaten by coyotes. We encounter coyotes every morning where we live and as responsible pet owners, we do not let our small pets outside unattended. Thank you, A Diaz/Los Angeles rm!•.da d-az aia teed ap bd+c*homes dbe/wbe/mbe ncarb www.d3architecture.com Everything is walking distance if you got the time -Steven Wright 1 Estanislau, Robin rom: Dombo, Johanna ent: Monday, December 21, 2015 1 36 PM To: Agenda Comment Cc: Fikes, Cathy, Dombo, Johanna, CITY COUNCIL Subject: FW HB Coyote Issue AGENDA COMMENT From:Wilson, Fred Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 134 PM To: Dombo,Johanna Subject: FW HB Coyote Issue Did I get this? Fred A. Wilson City Manager City of Huntington Beach From: Delgleize, Barbara Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 12:23 PM �o: Wilson, Fred ubject: FW. HB Coyote Issue Fred, Did you receive this as well? Barbara Delglelze Huntington Beach City Council Member i Work 714 536.5553 Cell: 714.421.0103 F= Barbara.DelaIeize(cbSurfGty-HB orq 2000 Main Street Huntington Beach, CA 92648 From: Robert Larivee<larnveehomes@vahoo com> Reply-To: Robert Larivee<larriveehomes@yahoo com> Date: Monday, December 21, 2015 at 12 20 PM To:Jim Katapodis<lim katapodis@surfcrty-hb org>, Dave& Kay Sullivan <dave Sullivan@surfcity-hb org>, b <barbara delgleize@surfcity-hb org>, Billy O'Connell<Biliy OConnell surfcity-hb org>, Erik Peterson <Enk Peterson@surfcity-hb org>, Jill Hardy dill hardv@surfcity-hb org>, "Posey, Mike" <Mike Posey surfcity-hb org> Subject: HB Coyote Issue Dear Honorable Members of the Huntington Beach City Council, As a candidate for United States Senate in 2016 1 was approached by Union Members for the Preservation of Wildlife, alifomia to look into the City's agenda items 25A& B,Approve the City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan and uthonze Implementation of Plan Recommendations,that are scheduled to come before the Council tonight for consideration Before I comment on the items I would like to provide some personal background I am a life long resident of California I have lived most of my life in or near areas with wildlife In all these areas coyotes are indigenous I lived in the City of Aliso Viejo, i adjacent to the Aliso and Wood Canyon Wilderness areas for six years Our family even experienced a mountain line attack on our cat(cat won, but not without having its jaw broken) I currently live among coyotes in Victorwlle adjacent the MojaveRiver and encounter them regularly I have hiked throughout the Sierras and San Gabriels, and have encountered all types of Odigenous wildlife (except bighorn sheep) I am considered an expert outdoorsman and mountaineer I have never carried a gun to lawful areas of the wilderness and only have had a knife or natural weapon to protect myself and my family My most serious encounter with wildlife was chasing of a black bear that took my daughter's back pack(she was seven at the time)that was 18"from her head as she lay sleeping Therefore I fully understand the issue from both sides and would hope to provide some input that would benefit the Great City of Huntington Beach and its residents, both human and coyote I have reviewed the proposed Coyote Management Plan and have found it lacking in some common sense approach to dealing with the City's coyote problem As well I have noted a possible ambiguity that would leave the City open to possible reputable and fiscal harm The issues I observed are as follow 1 The Level Orange threat needs to be clarified when it comes to specifics of"If multiple level orange incidents have occurred in the same vicinity within a short amount of time, lethal removal may be recommended"This wording is quite ambiguous and leaves open a concern by coyote advocate groups as to how it would be interpreted and implemented My question would be what is the difference between this response and that of the same in a Level Red threat 2 1 think there have been some factors and options overlooked It seems to me that if the drought is the cause of the lack of water and food supply of coyotes venturing into residential areas, then an option to provide coyotes water and food in wildlife areas should be considered Small retention ponds can be dug and lined so to be filled on occasion or catch natural run off or rain Knowing the area, I will assume there are an abundant rabbit population as well as other rodents in residential communities Animal control can provide residents with traps Residents can call for free pick up Animal control or appropriate volunteer group can release these animals into the wildlife areas to repopulate the coyotes'food source I believe Seal Beach had a rabbit population issue and decided to kill off the rabbits with poison In turn this could lead to the poisoning of other animals that feed on the rabbits, including but not limited to domestic pets It would seem the common sense approach to Seal Beach's issue would have been to trap and release coyote food sources It is an idea I believe has less impact and is fiscally conservative 3 The advocate group that contacted me seems to have a legitimate concern over the fiscal impact of the City I would consider the cost of trapping and euthanizing coyotes under Level Orange since its ambiguity could lead to costly lawsuits from environmental groups The other fiscal impact would be that cost of trapping and euthanizing verse restocking the coyotes' natural food supply It would seem that if coyote advocate groups would incur some of the cost this would lessen the cost to the City and be a win-win for all groups As well there are the possible tort issues if it is decided to trap coyotes and a domestic imal is caught in a trap Now I did not find the word 'trap" in any of the proposed documents up for approval, but assume this the method of carrying out lethal means It would seem to me the most humane lethal method would be to tranquilize and then euthanize I think any plan should clearly state the method of"lethal means" In conclusion I would respectfully submit to the honorable council the request to do the following 1 Approve the plan with the above recommended contingencies and clanfications 2 Postpone approval till the above contingencies and clarifications are considered and any changes or amendments are incorporated as a result thereof 3 1 believe the City's website page on coyotes and other wildlife can be improved simply by adding some more links to coyote information sites such a projectcoyote org I believe the current plan is"close" but still can be improved I believe the consideration and changes as recommend in whole or in part will create a"model' Coyote Management Plan" I commend the Honorable Billy O'Connell and Honorable Barbara Delgleize for their desire to find a balanced approach to protecting the citizens of the Great City of Huntington Beach and its wildlife With Much Respect, Bob Larivee • 2 City o Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan � z� � ! � s - . Z / .` Huntington Beach Police Department / � � / / �z 1 | Page Cm 25. - 4 HS -270- City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Table of Contents Executive Summary Page 3 1 Background Page 4 11 The Coyote Page 4 III Coyote Attractants in Urban Areas Page 6 IV Hazing and Behavioral Changes Page 8 V Monitoring and Collecting Data Page 9 VI Enforcement Page 10 VII Response &Attack Plan Page 10 VIII Public Education and Outreach Page 11 Appendix A—Definitions and Encounters with Coyotes Page 12 Appendix B—Coyote Behavior Classification Page 14 Appendix C—Hazing Program and Training PI n Page 16 Appendix D—Yard Audit Checklist Page 20 Appendix E—References Page 21 I 2 1 P a g e HB -271- Item 25. - 5 City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan d Executive Summary e''r The intent of this Ian is to provide guidance for staff in dealing with coyotes in Huntin t n Beach The p p g g Management Plan is based on research and best known management practices rd includes a full spectrum of management tools to deal with coyotes in an urban area This Coyote -anagement Plan is based on case studies, best management practices implemented by surrounding communities, and an understanding of the coyote ecology and biology in urban settings Goals The goal of this Management Plan is to support coexistence with�rban coyotes using education, behavior modification, and development of a tiered response to aggressive coyote behavior The suggested actions in this plan are designed to increase citizens' knwledge and understanding of how coyotes behave and make clear how such behavior can be managed to reduce or eliminate conflicts with coyotes Strategyd The strategy for managing coyotes is based on balancing/respect and protection of wildlife and their habitats without compromising public safety The main strategy is comprised of a three pronged approach consisting of 1 Public Education designed around co-existence with coyotes 2 Enforcement of laws and regulations prohibiting the feeding of wildlife 3 Ensuring public safety by implementing/appropriate tiered responses to coyote and human interactions This plan requires active participation on the part of the entire community Education Education is the key to having residents make appropriate decisions regarding their safety or managing their property and pets Education will involve written materials on doors and handouts available at City facilities Educational tools will also include signage that will warn pet owners of the presence of coyotes The goal of education is to/decrease attractants, increase pet safety, and reshape coyote behavior through hazing and creating,reasonable expectations of normal coyote behavior Enforcement f The act of feeding wildlife is known to lead to an increase in wildlife activity Feeding can attract coyotes and their prey to an area leading to an increased likelihood of creating a habituated coyote(s) resulting in increases in coyote and human interactions California law strictly prohibits feeding wildlife Section 13 48 075 of the Huntington Beach Municipal Code prohibits the feeding of wildlife on City property s Response Plan A detailed tiered response plan has been developed to provide a mechanism for identifying and classifying different level's of human and coyote interactions Definitions of coyote encounters are listed in Appendix A Appendix B provides a chart detailing coyote behavior, behavior classification, and recommended responses i f 3 1 P a g e Item 25. - 6 Hs -272- City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan r I. Background ,` The City of Huntington Beach does not own or have any control of the wild animals fq`u d within its boundaries, nor is the City responsible for the actions of damage caused by them These animals are a common and important part of our natural ecosystem The City of Huntington Beach contracts with Orange County Animal Ca/and ity staff do not respond to calls for service for normal coyote behavior, such as sightings However, the Huntington Beach Police Department(HBPD)does track coyote sightings, aggressive ehavior, and attacks Although the City of Huntington Beach places a high value on wLIdlife, some individual animals adapted to urban environments have the potential to cause proems and/or conflicts in specific situations In addressing problems, the City promotes po icies supporting prevention and implementation of remedial measures that do not harm the wildlife or their habitats A wildlife problem is defined as any situation that causes a ealth or safety issue to its residents In cases where problems with wildlife are associated with huan behavior(leaving garbage exposed or intentional wildlife feeding), ordinances and enforcemen may be enacted to minimize conflict In some instances, traditional management tools to µ effectively manage urban wildlife are ineffectiv a For example, relocation of coyotes is not ecologic y sound and in many instances is prohibited by he California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Generally, relocated animals do not survive the transfer If they do, they rarely stay in their relocated area and tend to disperse Ito other locations where they may cause problems to humans, be involved in territorial disputes, or introduce disease In some instances, the translocated coyote will go to great lengths to return to its previous home For these reasons, the CDFW rarely allows relocation , As a last resort, lethal control measures, when employed are controversial and non-selective, they target the alpha coyote or "pr'oblem" coyote If they are used, they must be humane and in compliance with federal and state laws It is not economically, or ecologically justified to attempt to remove all coyotes from the urban ecosystem as a means of addressing conflicts between humans and coyotes Attempts made by local, state, and federal agencies as well as private organizations over the past century have proven to be ineffective II. The Coyote!(Canis latrans) Coyotes are op/ginally native to California and several other western states Due to their intelligence, adaptability, and the decline of other predatory species due to urban sprawl, coyotes 4 1 P a g e xB -27" Item 25. - 7 City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan i have sccessfully expanded their range Coyotes are now found in all states except Hawaii and have sucessfully established themselves in every urban ecosystem across North America Coyotes play an important role in the urban ecosystem, particularly as a top-pre/ator They eat a broad range of small animals, including squirrels, mice, rabbits, rats, and gophers Rodents make up a majority of their diet In the process, they control the population sizes o tAhese animals, many of which are considered pests to humans The coyotes also prey on ';mesopredators," such as raccoons and oppossums Without a top predator like the coyote to keep them in check, mesopredators can dramatically reduce bird populations by eating their eggs (Crooks and Soule, 1999) Coyotes also disperse seeds of native plant species and recycle nutrients It is hard to track and inventory coyote populations, making iz,/diifficult to know if the number of coyotes has increased in a particular area What is known is that coyotes can become habituated to humans if they are intentionally or unintentionally fed, which can lead to loss of fear of people and bolder behavior In general, coyotes regularly roam an area of about two to five square miles to obtain enough food for the pack members Normally, each pack is a territorial family group made up of three to ten individuals A portion of the area the pack inhabits is the pack's territory, which they will defend from other coyotes The number of4nature coyotes in the pack is often related to the amount of food resources in the territory A coyote pack usually has only one breeding (or/alpha) female This female often produces more pups than can be supported by the pack Young coyotes may leave the pack at about nine to eleven months of age, but dispersal patterns are highly variable These juvenile coyotes become transients Other types of transients include older individuals that can no longer defend their role as upper level pack members and are pushed out of the pack Transient coyotes move all over in narrow undefended zones that exist between pack territories searching for an open habitat to occupy or group to join They often die before they succeed (many are hit by vehicles) It is largely because of the constant influx of transients, that coyote eradication programs fail /7 Removing a group of territorial/coyotes will create an undefended area into which the transient coyotes will flow At all times of the year, numbers of transients are E hont too immediately available to replenish any voids created by lair killing resident coyotes Furthermore, if either the alpha male or alpha female in a pack is killed, ovulationits in other breeding-age females is often triggered and a 1p h9�d1 wows :L la corresponding increaseyin the number of litters and/or , number of pups per litter is observed c xr tracks t` i Coyote Appearance What do Coyotes Look Like? Coyotes vary in color from gray-brown to yellow-gray Their backs have tawny-colored underfur and long overcoats with black-tipped guard hairs The latter forms a dorsal stripe and dark band over their shoulders (Their throats and bellies tend to be buff or white in color Coyotes have long legs, small paws, large pointed ears, and a pointed snout Weighing between 15 and 40 pounds, but their long legs can make them appear larger 5 1 P a g e Item 25. - 8 HB -274- City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan How and Where do Coyotes Live? Coyotes may live alone, in pairs, or in family groups with one breeding pair, generally mat�e g once a year, usually January through February Social organization and group size are highl, correlated with food availability The rest of the group is comprised of multiple generations of o i spring Pups are born March through May The entire group protects the pups though pup m ality averages between 50 and 70 percent in the first year Litter size depends on available vesources and the number of coyotes in the area Although a litter varies om two to twelve pups, the average is six or ven Pups remain in the den the first six we s and then travel with the adults By the d of the summer, they are more indepen nt, yet, may still travel with parents and si ings Because `coyotes are socially organized, the group raises the young and defends their territory from of er coyotes Territories do not overlap Although they generally live in groups,coyotes often travel/It ravel lone or in pairs In the urban areas, most coyotes live in large parks,gol courses, greenbelts, and natural open space where they find food and cover Thus,their territorypay follow the park or open space boundaries They are extremely adaptable in creating territories nder a wide range of urban conditions How do Humans Perceive Coyotes? People respond to coyotes in various ways Some observe them with enjoyment, others with indifference and some with fear or concern Experiences range from animal sightings without incident, to stalking, killing of pets or, at the extreme, an attack on a person Coyote attacks on humans are very infrequent Although s ch incidents generate significant media coverage, they remain a very rare event i Because wild animals conjure up fear in some people, actual sightings and perceptions may become exaggerated or misconstrued (see Appendix A) The wide range in perceptions of urban coyotes from Huntington Beach residents supports the need for strong and consistent educational messages to clarify management techniques III. Coyote Attractants in Urban Areas Coyotes are drawn to urban and suburban areas for the following reasons f 1 Food— Urban areas oft4n support large numbers of rodents, including mice and rats However, coyotes can be further attracted into suburban neighborhoods by human-associated food such as pet food, unsecured compost or trash, and fallen fruit 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 To reduce food attractants in urban and suburban areas: c ➢ Never hand feed or otherwise deliberately feed a coyote 6 1 P a g e xB -275- Item 25. - 9 City of Huntington Beach X Coyote Management Plan ➢ Avoid feeding pets outside Remove sources of pet food and water that a coyoteZould easily access If feeding pets outside is necessary, promptly remove the bo land any leftover food ➢ Never include meat or dairy in a compost pile ➢ Maintain good housekeeping, such as regularly raking areas around ird feeders ➢ Remove fallen fruit from the ground ➢ Keep trash in high-quality containers with tight-fitting lids O y place the cans curbside the morning of collection If left out overnight, trash can are more likely to be tipped over and explored ➢ Bag especially attractive food wastes, such as meat, craps or leftover pet food before discarding 2 Water — Urban areas provide a year-round supply in/ythe form of stormwater runoff, artificial lakes, irrigation, pet water dishes, etc,which support/both coyotes and their prey ➢ During drought or otherwise dry condition's, water can be as alluring as food, so remove water bowls set outside for pets and make watering cans unavailable 3 Access to Shelter — parks, greenbelts, open/spaces, golf courses, buildings, sheds, decks and crawl spaces, etc, increase the amount of variability of cover for coyotes They allow coyotes to safely and easily remain close to people, pets, homes and businesses without detection. ➢ In the spring, when coyotes give birth and begin to raise young, they concentrate their activities around dens or burrows in which their young are sheltered Coyotes may take advantage of available spaces under sheds or decks for use as a den, bringing them into close contact with people.and pets 4 Unattended Pets—Pets are a normal part of an urban landscape Within their territory, coyotes may consider pets as potential prey or potential competitors ➢ Free roaming pets;yespecially cats and sometimes small dogs, may attract coyotes into a neighborhood The best way to minimize risk to pets is to not leave them outside unattended ➢ Cats—Coyotes primarily eat small mammals such as mice and rats, but will also prey on slightly larger mammals such as rabbits and groundhogs Approximately the same size as a groYndhog or rabbit, free-roaming outdoor cats may also be seen as eligible prey items by coyotes It is important to note that attacks on cats are normal coyote behavior and do not indicate danger for humans The best way to protect cats from coyotes (and the other dangers of outside life, such as cars, disease, dogs, and other wildlife) is to keep cats primarily indoors and only let them outside in a secure enclosure or when accompanied by a person and under the control of a leash and/or harness 7 1 P a g e Item 25. - 10 HB -276- City of Huntington Beach , Coyote Management Plan f ➢ Feral Cats— People who feed feral cats are often concerned that coy, tes might prey on the cats These concerns are well founded, as coyotes can be attr cted to the outdoor pet food Although there is no sure way to protect feral cats fro coyotes the following tips can be helpful i Do not feed feral cats Doing so can have other nintentional consequences, including ecological damage ii Provide escape routes for cats iii Haze coyotes seen on the property (se Appendix C) Making them feel uncomfortable will encourage them to sta out of the area ➢ Dogs — Dogs are also vulnerable to coyote confrontations These incidents generally involve coyotes who are accustomed or habituated to people (usually from feeding), or coyotes who are protecting their territory a I pups (usually during breeding season) Small, unattended dogs may be seen as potential prey It is important to either keep dogs on a six-foot long or shorter leash hen outdoors or to stay within six feet of them when on your property Coyotes may view a dog on a leash longer than six feet as an unattended pet This is especially i portant if you are in or near nature preserves or open-space areas Attacks on unattended, small dogs are normal coyote behavior and do not indicate a danger to peopi Although attacks on larger dogs are rare, coyotes will sometimes go after a large dog when they feel that their territory is threatened This generally occurs during the coyote breeding season, which takes place from January through March During this time, it is especially important not to let dogs outside unattended and to keep them on leashes (six feet long or less) when in public areas Do not allow dogs off leash, it is against the law and is unsafe Other domestic animals kept outside, such as rabbits, may also be viewed as prey by coyotes Protect outdoor animals from coyotes (and other predators) with protective fencing and/or confine them in sturdy cages eachiening Residents are encouraged to use the Yard Audit Checklist (Appendix D)as a tool to help recognize and remove attractants in their yards and neighborhoods While human attacks ark/very rare, urban landscape development, habituation through intentional and unintentional fee rSg, pet related incidents and media attention have led some urban residents to fear coyotes Steps/must be taken to address safety concerns, misconceptions, and appropriate responses to potential threats to human safety It is important to keep in mind that coyotes have been in and around/Huntington Beach for a very long time IV. Hazing a4d Behavioral Change Human behavi'r 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 8 1 P a g e xs -277- Item 25. - 11 City of Huntington Beach r� Coyote Management Plan Overview of Hazing Hazing is a process whereby a person or a number of individuals encountering a coyote rend in like manner to make a coyote afraid and choose to leave a situ/nimal, here their pr sence is unwanted The following are various types of hazing methods ➢ Basic Hazing—This method consists of standing your ground ignorin r turning your back to a coyote(s), and yelling and/or making unpleasant htens noises until the animal(s)choose to leave If the coyote does not leave, morsive attics are in order ➢ More Aggressive Hazing This consists of approachingim more quickly and aggressively, throwing projectiles like stones near, but not nimal, spraying with a hose or water gun, or creating more heightened fear of coo the animal flees For more options, see Appendix C on haxing Hazing must continue once it begins until the animal leaves Oththe coyote will learn to "wait" until the person gives up Not following through with haz create an animal more resistant to hazing instead of reinforcing the image that "people re scary" Hazing never involves injury to the animal, only threat of injury An injured animal bec mes less predictable than a normal healthy one A common concern with hazing involves potential danger t the hazer A coyote's basic instinct is very skittish and this nature is what makes the tech niqueyuseful A normal healthy coyote is very unlikely to escalate a situation with a person who is aggressively hazing It is important that the hazer provides the coyote a clear escape route free tojflee and not corner the animal A cornered animal may decide that attacking the hazer is the onlyoption Elements of an effective hazing campaign include 1 Pet owners need to protect pets Off-leash/aand" unattended dogs and cats attract coyotes (as does pet food) / 2 Residents need to learn hazing effectiveness and techniques A hazing program must be instituted, maintained and evaluated oa regular basis 3 Hazing needs to be active for a sustained period of time to achieve the desired change in behavior 4 Hazing requires monitoring to assess{its effectiveness and to determine if further action or more aggressive hazing is needed V. Monitoring and Collecting Data Monitoring and collecting data on,coyote populations, sightings, and attacks are critical components of an effective Coyote Management Plan This is best accomplished with input from both residents and city officials Coyote sightings or incidents can be reported to the Huntington Beach Police Department at (714) 536-5913 or online at http//www huntingtonbeachca gov/1 want to/coyote- incident-report cfm#sthash cTTPV06H dpuf The purpose of monitoring human-coyote interactions is to document where coyotes are frequently seen and to identify human-coyote conflict hotspots (if they exist) Gathering specific data on incidents will allow for targeting of educational campaigns and conflict mitigation efforts, as well as the ability to measure success in reducing conflicts over time 9 1 P a g e Item 25. - 12 HB -278- City of Huntington Beach r Coyote Management Plan VI. Enforcement The act of feeding wildlife is known to lead to an increase in wildlife activity Fee 4ing can attract coyotes and their prey to an area leading to an increased likliehood of creating h bituated coyote(s) resulting in increases in coyote and human interactions California law prohits feeding wildlife. Huntington Beach Police Officers, Orange County Animal Control Officers, nd Huntington Beach Code Enforcement Officers will strictly enforce State law(s) and Huntingto Beach Municipal Code Section 13 48 075 pertaining to this activity The following will be enforc California Code of Regulations Title 14 §251.1. Harassment of Animals Except as otherwise authorized in these regulations or in the ash & Game Code, no person shall harass, herd or drive any game or nongame bird or mam or furbearing mammal For the purposes of this section, harass is defined as an intentional act which disrupts an animal's normal behavior patterns, which includes, but is not limit c�d to breeding,feeding, or sheltering City of Huntington Beach Municipal Code Title 13 13.48.075 Feeding Widlife on City Property Prohibited Unless specifically authorized by the Director of�bmmunity Services in writing, no person shall feed, disturb, or have physical contact with wil l ft on City property VII. Response and Attack Plan A detailed tiered response plan has been dev,�loped to provide a mechanism for identifying and classifying different levels of human and coyote interactions Definitions of coyote encounters are listed in Appendix A and Appendix B provides a chart detailing coyote behavior, behavior classification, and recommended responses If a human is attacked and physically injured by a coyote, the Huntington Beach Police Department will lethally remove the offending animal and/or contact the California Department of Fish and Game City staff may then work toXIethally remove the responsible coyote(s) Since coyotes are considered "non-game wildlife" any resident or Homeowner's Association Board of Directors can initiate, at their own expense, action to protect themselves and their private property from coyote attacks Threat Level Tiered Response Level Green Behavior—A coyote is seen or heard in an area Sighting may be during the day or night Coyote maybe seen moving through the area Response—Education and hazing needed Level Yellow Behavior—A coyote appears to frequently associate with humans or human-related food/sources and exhibits little wariness of human presence Coyote is seen during thq'clay resting or continuously moving through an area frequented by people .Reponse—Education and aggressive hazing needed,volunteer hazing team created Level Orange /Behavior — A coyote is involved in an incident(s) where there is an attended / domestic animal loss Several level orange incidents in the same general area may 101 Page xs -279- Item 25. - 13 City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan ' indicate the presence of a habituated coyote(s) ,e Response — Education and aggressive hazing needed, volunteer hzing team created, and public awareness of incident(s) and circumstances addressed If multiple level orange incidents have occurred in the same vicinity within a short amount of time, lethal removal may be recommended Level Red Behavior — A coyote that has been involved in an investigafed and documented provoked or unprovoked close encounter or attack on humans Response—City staff may work to lethally remove th/sponsible coyote(s) after a thorough investigation of the incident(s) Vill. Public Education and Outreach Education is the key to having residents make appropriate lecisions regarding their safety or managing their property and pets This involves decreasing ttractants, increasing pet safety, and creating reasonable expectations of normal coyote behavior. Learning how to repsond to a coyote encounter empowers residents and can help reduce undesired coyote behaviors The public should understand what normal coyote behavior is when living in close proximity with coyotes For example, vocalization W normal acceptable behavior and does not indicate aggression Education and outreach efforts 6y the City will focus on ➢ Understanding human safety, pet safety, coyote attractants, deterrents to coyotes on private property, including appropnateyfencing, exclusion techniques, "what to do" tips, and infromation on appropriate hazing techniques ➢ Developing a common language and awareness of normal versus abnormal behavior when discussing encounters with coyotes(see definitions in Appendix A) ➢ Dissemination of information to residents, businesses, and schools through the City's website, Channel 3, social media,traditional media,fliers/handouts, mailers, etc ➢ Consulting with land managers, non-profit organizations (e g The Humane Society), and agencies like the California, epartment of Fish and Wildlife that provide public education materials, programs, and e x ertise 11 Page Item 25. - 14 xs -280- J, �tr � n s` City of Huntington Beachs Coyote Management Plan Appendix A s a Definitions of Encounters with Coyotes Active Coexistence — Humans and coyotes exist together Humans take an active'role in keeping coyotes wild by learning about coyote ecology and behavior, removing attractants,Yking responsibility for pet safety, and hazing coyotes in neighborhood or community spaces (except for predetermined coyote-appropriate areas) Hazing is not appropriate in a designated nature nerve or similar open space, unless the coyote exhibits threatening behavior to persons or leashed pets Attack—A human is injured or killed by a coyote Provoked — A human-provoked attack or incident where the hu�an involved encourages the coyote to engage Examples include dogs off-leash in an on-leh area, dogs on leashes longer than 6' in length, or a human intentionally corners, injures, trJes to injure, attempts to capture or feeds the coyote ' Unprovoked.—An unprovoked attack or incident where t e human involved does not encourage the coyote to engage Pet Attack Attended animal loss or injury—When a person is within 6' of the pet and the pet is on leash and is attacked and injured or killed by a coyote Domestic animal loss or injury — A coyote inres or kills a pet Also includes "depredation" predation of domestic pets Unattended animal loss or injury is considered the result of normal coyote behavior Subjected Pet Attack — A coyote is an opportunistic feeder and may feed on recently dead or dying animals, especially cats that were hit or killed by!cars or other means The eaten remains may be found and suggest the animal was attacked by a coyote In cases where Animal Control Officers respond to these calls,without knowledge of an actual attack,the incident will be recorded as a suspected attack Encounter—An unexpected, direct meetin/between a human and a coyote that is without incident Feeding Intentional Feeding — When/a person or persons actively and intentionally feeds coyotes or provides food for animals in the coyote food chain Unintentional Feeding—When a person or persons are unintentionally providing access to food Some examples are accessible compost, fallen fruit from trees, open sheds and doors, and pet food left outdoors Unintentional Feeding (Bird Feeders) — When a person or persons bird feeders inadvertently provides food for coyotes (e g birds, bird feeders, rodents, and squirrels) Bird feeders must be kept high enough from the ground so a coyote is unable to reach the feeding animals The area under the bird feeder must be kept clean and free of residual bird food 12 1 Page xB -281- Item 25. - 15 City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan 2, Hazing—A training method that employs immediate use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage undesirable behavior or activity Hazing techniques include loud noises, spraying water, bright lights, throwing objects near but not at the animal, and shouting Hazing can help maintain a coyote's fear of humans and deter them from neighborhood spaces, such as backyards andwplay spaces Hazing does not and should not injure or damage animals, humans,or property Threat Incident—A conflict between a human and coyote where the coyote approaches a human and growls, bares teeth or lunges, injures or kills an attended domestic animal A humans s not injured Stalking Incident—A conflict between a human and a coyote,where the coyote follows a person with or without an attended pet on a leash A human is not injured Observation—The act of noticing or taking note of tracks, scat,or vocalizaa ons Sighting—A visual observation of a coyote(s) A sighting may occur at time of the day or night Unsecured Trash —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) 131Page Item 25. - 16 xB -282- City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Appendix B Coyote Behavior Classification • J.', PrbVicre'A'Vk4tion 4 A "T d n ,in q,%a,VObterA is t eve Gi rr 093 sa info ajon�nflrrxafye b6avio rk > 4 Sighting Level Green Provide education materials and 11 information on normal coyote behavior • Aw ghtlhg LeveLGreen Educate Ri !tech ' lW ue� and at , Do tiffs $ 3• Sighting Level Yellow if area frequy'nted by people, educate on normal behavior and haze to encourage animalto�eave Look for and eliminate attract nts A • 0 e,Ent IN gNt Mn ik e�e I Y I 16 i Ed1uca?jrh,,coyote Sw",4ctatit'sOy"aird ro wlthout�Pets. a 4, vide blazinginform#t:tqn. -&\ `"W rot, D _!ng Coyote Entering a Yard Encounter Level Yellow Educate on coyote attractants, yard with Pets • eudit, hazing information, pet safety information 'Aff yote Entering'Yard 'D� th 1% gatQ Co, Level Vi hazing tea in ea, e �'ow hoitien and Injuring or Killing inf-40rL I evolve anima ,wrfv Pet w/o People Present hstances,,fducat'e\ d rd a peaty, a �7C'Ic*0 0"Urac t co 40 y tfdp A Nil nei 141 ghM d aud �d 10 Co Pet Attack Level 0 ange Gather information on specific animals Unattended Pet/Pet on involved, report circumstances, educate Leash Longer than 6' on coyote attractants, yard/neighborhood audits, hazing, and pet safety el 1148"'wk- taucallo, azi techniques �Coydte,Following or 'W'- Ekan Q1, 11 lethal air "I Approaching a Person 0 f w c s t'c' r Med,I D TO W/ nca�h,o�a:Pet(Stalking) 11W s -Awe r -51 hazin a there i ence essi bul pur re Coyote Following or Sight g Encounter Level Red Educate on hazing techniques and What Approaching a Person 91 to Do Tips and pet safety Lethal Pet(Stalking) removal considered if there is no response from the coyote to aggressive hazing, and there is evidence of recurrence W A %\ VT —w 'f'c i at, Coyote Entering Yard o Encotint y 0-11GST Wecti.,P e rA n f?irM it io n 9fl, s Home with People& u Pets, No Injury tan F " in e RI z*0 ety. Lethal re val considered : pecifiC mstriCes. , '° 0 141 P a g e HB -28-3- Item 25. - 17 City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan : • . Pet Attack Level Red Gather information on specific animals . involved, document circumstacis, educate on coyote attractants, yard/neighborhood audits,f(zing, pet safety Lethal removal recommended . n ( h nif m i n" ectfic aini majs` %� Threats evel ed ,� Gat yr at'on nvol. report,circ stances dducat At' _ ;' try otttr It ' ote yardJnetglorl�o d'au � agg"resslve got ' afety Letlaa removal j reco \mend . Attack Level Red Identify an gather information on •• specific aimal involved, report circumstances,educate on coyote attractants,yard/neighborhood audits, haz ng, and pet safety City staff will in rm the California Department of Fish nd Wildlife Lethal removal recommended 15 1 Page Item 25. - 18 HB -284- City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Appendix C Hazing Program and Training Plan Hazing and Behavioral Change Some urban coyotes have become comfortable in close proximity to people To safely coexist, it is important to modify this behavior and attitude in resident coyote populations Urban coyote behavior needs to be reshaped to avoid contact with humans and pets ° Hazing is the process that facilitates the change and is, by necessity, community response to encounters with coyotes The more often an individual coyote is hazed, tlamore effective hazing is in changing its behavior Hazing employs immediate use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage undesirable behavior or activity Deterrents include loud noises, spraying water, bright lights, throwing objects, and shouting Hazing can help maintain a coyote's fear�f humans and discourage them from neighborhoods, greenbelts, backyards, and play areas Hazing does not harm or damage animals, humans, or property Behavioral change also involves human activities such as how to identify and remove attractants and how to responsibly protect pets Foundation of Hazing 1. It is not economically, ecologically,or in other ays efficient to try and remove coyotes from the urban ecosyste 2. Hazing is one piece of a long-term plan/," creating safe and acceptable living situations, increasing understanding and reducing conflict between coyotes and people Goals of Hazing ➢ 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 attractant2 identify potentially dangerous situations for their pets and themselves, and respond in a manner designed to change coyote behavior a ➢ To provide residents information and tools to actively engage in reshaping coyote behavior and to support feeling safe in their parks and neighborhoods This can be accomplished by teaching residents hazing techniques The latter will be initiated by community volunteers ➢ To model hazing behavior and share accurate information about coyotes among other residents, friends, and family ➢ Monitor hazing byvolunteers to assess its effectiveness and determine if further action or more aggressive hazing'is needed ,ho ➢ Develop long-term community based hazing programs using volunteers General Considerations 1 Levels o hazing need to be appropriately relevant to coyote behavior/activity t 161 Page xB -285- Item 25. - 19 City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan d a Coyotes live in open spaces and the best practice is to leave them alone and educate the public on personal safety ?o b Urban coyotes are often out late at night when few people are present This is normal acceptable behavior Hazing may not be necessary c Exceptions — In early stages of hazing, programs should still engage animals Coyotes that associate danger in the presence of people under all circuXmstances will be more wary and more likely to avoid contact 2 Hazing must be more exaggerated, aggressive, and consistent during initial program implementation 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 with the desired outcome (to leave) 3 Techniques and tools can be used in the same manner for one or multiple animals Usually there is a dominant animal 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 4 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 modifying that animal's behavior S Hazingmust be able to see the person invol"zed in the hazing actions The coyote must be aware P �. g Y of where the potential threat is coming from and associate it with the person 6 Coyotes can and do recognize individ a"I people and animals in their territories They can learn to avoid or harass specific individualsiin response to behavior of the person and/or pet 7 Coyotes can be routine in habit 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 8 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 people 9 Changes in human behavior are necessary for hazing to be effective Therefore, possible coyote attractants should be Identified and removed 10 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 pla In 11 Coyotes areikittish by nature Habituated behavior is learned and reinforced by human behavior Coyotes DO NOT act aggressively towards aggressive people The one exception is a sick or inj ed animal Engaging a sick or injured animal can result in unpredictable behavior If this is s/ petted, people should not haze the animal, should remove themselves from the 171Page Item 25. - 20 xs -286- City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan situation and then inform appropriate agencies (Orange County Animal Care, D artment of Fish and Wildlife) 12 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 hazin and harassment of wildlife, and goals of appropriate behavior for coexistence Training Program Because coexisting with wildlife involves the community, initiating the Pazing training programs and hazing activities by volunteers must be supervised by experts With ,t this support, such programs ultimately fail Information should include basic training on0background, coyote ecology information, an overview of hazing and examples of techniques ,Materials should be provided such as handouts, contact information, and resources when questions comments, and concerns come up relating to coyotes Volunteers need to learn about coyote behavior and understand realistic expectations, normal versus abnormal coyote behavior, and have a consistent response to residents' concerns and comments Hazing Training for Volunteers Hazing requires community involvement, understanding, and support Residents are best equipped to respond consistently and at the most opportune times in their own neighborhoods, greenbelts, parks, and open spaces 1 Locations of trainings offered should befbased on data accumulated from the public on coyote pY activity in specific neighborhoods,greenbelts, parks, and/or open spaces 2 Training should be free to the public 3 Topics that need to be covered i�r clude but are not limited to a Basic Coyote Information b Discussion on why coyotes are present c Normal and abnormal coyote behavior d Seasonal behavioral changes—breeding season, pups,denning behavior, etc e Reality of dangers towards people vs danger towards pets f Children and coyotes g How human behavior influences coyote behavior h Attractants i Tips on deterring animals from entering private property j Appropriate response when encountering a coyote k What is hazing,goals, how to engage I Appropriate hazing techniques and tools m Peafety tips 4 Volunte rs shall be placed on a confidential email list Updates, additional coyote information, electronic flyers and handouts will be sent to volunteers All information can and should be sent out to interested parties 181Page xB -287- Item 25. - 21 City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan + 5 Volunteers shall be notified of"hot spots" and asked to haze in the area 6 Volunteers should be asked for feedback on hazing training and the effectivenibss of hazing techniques 7 Volunteers shall email detailed accounts of encounters and hazing effect ixeness to keep other volunteers informed on progress, tools and techniques that work, and tools and techniques that should be employed Accounts should include the following a Date,time of day, location, and number of animals b initial coyote behavior, hazing behavior,coyote response Summary of Hazing Hazing is a process whereby volunteers and individuals, respond in' like manner to make a coyote uncomfortable and choose to leave Basic hazing consists of standing your ground, never ignoring oturning your back to a coyote(s), yelling and making unpleasant and frightening noises until the coyotes) chooses to leave 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 NOTE - Many projectiles are not legal including but not limited/to slingshots, bows and arrows, or guns that fire bullets, pellets, or paint or pepper balls. ' Hazing must continue once it begins until the animal leaves Otherwise, the coyote will learn to "wait" until the person gives up Inconsistent hazing will create an animal more resistant to hazing instead of reinforcing the image that"people are scary" a Hazing should never injure the animal An injured animal becomes less predictable versus a healthy one who responds in a consistent and predictable manner to hazing Hazing should be conducted in a manner that allows the coyote to return to a desirable area 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 ifipossible Hazing uses a variety of different tools Variation is critical so that coyotes do not habituate to a particular tool or method Examples of hazing tools include E� 1 Noisemakers—voice, whistles, air horns, bells, "shaker" cans, pots, pie pans, etc 2 Projectiles—sticks, small rocks, cans, tennis balls, rubber balls, etc 3 Deterrents— hoses;spray bottles with vinegar, pepper spray, bear repellent, umbrellas, walking sticks,etc T m 19 Page Item 25. - 22 xB -288- City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan Appendix D Yard Audit Checklist NEVER*nc ifeed'arinterifi\onall*edl\\\\\ P c'4-'ote J�� ,O\ A Never feed pets outdoors, store all pet food securely indoors Re ove'water attract (�4as ' p'etwa ep,\ r owls and FAky iati nP drat. l Remove all bird feedsrs or clean fallen seed to reduce the pres rice of small mammals that coyotes pref to eat -*anupfalld,' suit,qroJ)'Tdtre&, Do not includ;meat or dairy among compost contents u4n1l.'ss fully enclosed -veanfup f aror, b & jjlt�aftej,, �Aec I\gri Secure a6l trash containers with locking lids and pldce curbside the morning of trash pick- up �Periodically clean cans to reduce residual odors JIM reduce h Sibling ;et*nd C, * tentia I d' e" ing sites es,,d • Restrict access under decks and sheds, around woodpiles,or any other structure that can provide cover of clenning sites for coyotes and their prey ncla e prat �fo witKA glAhipeCor 6 t a rit" foo ncj� hh ddit6g]ektension V\ V Ask\, rotI to Aer co th ' here are gapsanZhattes, Ensue t*bottom of th4 A f q' \e yun inc he A e\'\r g ro q d 6 he r J& �\fftOd with6h a a Ion e coyo, s' Ilk' fro"\ jjggki unZpn%e st ca rip wI \%w\ M unici pal,*de,.& Never leave pets unattended Never allow pets to play with coyotes Fully enclose outdoor pet kennels Walk pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet in length 20 1 P a g e HB -289- Item 25. - 23 F City of Huntington Beach Coyote Management Plan , Appendix E References City of Newport Beach Coyote Management Plan City of Seal Beach Coyote Management Plan City of Rancho Palos Verdes Coyote Management Plan City of Calabasas Coyote Management Plan City of Davis Coyote Management Plan Humane Society of United States—A Template Coyote ManagemezCoexistence J I 21 Page Item 25. - 24 xB -290-