Coyote sightings are up on Monterey Peninsula
It’s not unusual to encounter wild animals here on the Central Coast, but there’s been an uptick in coyote sightings in one area on the Central Coast. The question is: Are there more coyotes now? And If not, then what’s bringing them into our neighborhoods?
Lesli Callahan and her husband live in the outskirts of Castroville with their herd of goats.
“I see them coming up over the ridge over there, and I hear them down there. That’s all wildlife, that’s a reserve,” said Callahan.
No strangers to coyotes, the Callahan’s have equipped themselves to handle the threat in a non lethal manner.
“If we hear a pack really close we will just put on flood lights. And that scares them. We have a llama too, that’s also a tool to protect the herd,” said Callahan.
Unfortunately fences and lights are sometimes not enough.
“It’s heartbreaking. Yes, it’s heartbreaking,” said Callahan.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife there’s an uptick in coyote sightings on the peninsula.
“They have gotten some calls from citizens and folks in Monterey, Pebble Beach area, and Spanish Bay about an increase in coyotes,” said Information Officer Peter Tira.
One reason for the recent sightings and close encounters could be due to the fact that we are in the middle of mating season.
“Breeding season for coyotes is late December to March. So likely they are more active looking for mates,” said Tira.
Experts say to limit your chances of a close encounter, bring pet food inside. Keep small animals inside as well.
“In an urban or semi rural area you can have more packs packed into that area because of the resources that are typically available because of us,” said Human Wildlife Control Rebecca Dmytryk.
Killing coyotes might seem like a solution, but it could also make the problem worse.
Rebecca Dymtryk “They are monogamous, till death do they part. And so when you destroy one or both, that will leave the subordinate animals to reproduce and it leave it open for other pack to move in. Wildlife conflicts begin and end with us,” said Dmytryk.
