Alejandro Rodriguez
Jul 1, 2026, 10:56 PM
Sharing this because I think people should know the science, not just the sightings. Coyotes that get comfortable around people don't calm back down on their own — once they lose the fear, they keep pushing, and that's when the trouble starts. Fish & Wildlife is clear that the single biggest driver is food: unsecured trash, pet bowls left on the patio, fallen avocados and oranges rotting under the tree, even fallen birdseed. Up here off Avenida Pico and back toward the Ridgeline trail I've watched three different yards leave garbage out the night before pickup, and I promise you the coyotes have that schedule memorized better than we do. If you see one and it doesn't run, that animal is already too far gone to ignore — report it through the Coyote Cacher so there's an actual record, don't just assume it'll move along. We can't manage what nobody's tracking, and waiting until something happens is not a plan.
Tuan Pham
Jul 1, 2026, 10:56 PM
Alejandro, that following behavior would put me on edge too, and near a school it's worth reporting. For the record, the county does trap when an animal shows that kind of bold, food-conditioned pattern, so document it: dates, times, how close, and file with OC Animal Care and your city. That paper trail is what actually triggers a response. Meanwhile, walk the trail with a buddy and a whistle for now, and get the HOA hunting the food source, because odds are someone nearby is leaving pet food or trash out and that's what's holding it there.
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