Daniela Rodriguez
Jul 1, 2026, 11:23 PM
Was reading up on the Mission Viejo Animal Services page after seeing a coyote trot along the Oso Creek Trail near the library last week, and a couple things stuck with me that I don't think get said enough. Coyotes are territorial, so the ones living around Oso Creek and the golf course green belts are basically holding that ground against other coyotes moving in — remove them and new ones just fill the gap within weeks. What actually changes their behavior is us: fallen avocados and loquats, cat food left on patios, unsecured trash the night before pickup. That's what turns a shy coyote into a bold one. The city and CDFW both point to the same fix — take away the easy food, make yourself big and loud if one lingers, and report anything unusually bold. Feels a lot more doable than living scared of a trail we all love.
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