With spring in full swing, coyotes in the Morongo Basin are in their normal denning season caring for newborn pups and may be spotted more frequently in search of food, water and shelter. This puts outside pets — and at times people — at risk of attack and injury. Preventative measures, however, can mitigate interactions between coyotes and humans; as well coyotes and pets and livestock. According to the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, coyotes do very well in urban areas and around people. A lack of natural predators allows them to roam freely in the daytime, and cars are typically their greatest danger. Keep coyotes away by putting garbage in tightly closed containers, removing sources of water, removing attractants like pet food or bird baths, bringing pets in at night, providing secure enclosures for livestock, picking up fallen fruit and covering compost piles. The State encourages confrontations with coyotes by making loud noises at them, chasing them, or even throwing things at them such as small rocks or pinecones. While they don’t encourage any harm to coyotes, the coyotes need to associate humans with something negative.
