Local & Community
Coyote Attacks On The Rise in Southern California, Humans To Blame
Humans could be to blame for a recent string of coyote attacks on pets and children.
“In almost every case of a coyote or a mountain lion or a bear coming into our homes and our communities, it’s because as humans we are just not doing the job we need to do to discourage those visits,” said Tim Daly, Public Information Officer for California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Whether it’s pet food or pets or fruits that have fallen from a backyard tree or garbage cans not being as secure as they could be.
As humans expand their living areas and coyotes expand their range, contact is inevitable. Typically, coyotes go out of their way to avoid humans but as they become habituated to us, they’re discovering we are a good source for food.
“When coyotes come into our communities, they’re looking for food,” said Daly. “If they see a small pet or, in some cases, a small child that might resemble what would be considered their prey, they might try to grab.”
Earlier this month, a two-year-old was attacked and dragged by a coyote in front of her home in Los Angeles county. Then on Sunday, two chihuahuas were in the backyard of their Granada Hills home when a pair of coyotes jumped a 6–foot wall and fatally attacked them. Following the attacks, officials are warning people to be more aware of their surroundings and keep a close eye on their pets.
“You want your visibility to be at its best, so get out with your pet during daylight hours. If you must go out after dark, just stay as close as possible as you can to that pet,” said Daly.
Wildlife experts also say small pets should not be left outside alone and their food should not be left out overnight. And for those who think they’re helping by intentionally feeding wild animals…
“They’re not helping anything by doing that,” said Daly. “We ask people who think they may be assisting a wild animal by putting food out, please don’t do that because that just causes return visits and it also attracts other animals as well.”
Officials warn feeding coyotes and other animals eases their natural fear of people and can lead to more dangerous encounters.
“If coyotes can’t find the food – and mountain lions and bears – in communities they come into, they’re going to stop those visits,” said Daly.
If a coyote does come near you…
“What we ask people to do is be as big and as noisy as they possibly can… you don’t want to turn and run,” said Daly. “Be big, make noise, let that animal know you’re there, you’re in charge. Try to hold your ground. Hopefully that animal will feel that it’s not welcome there and will take off.”
By: NBC Palm Springs
December 15, 2022
Latest Instagram Posts
CRIME: Where do you stand on the death penalty? A sweeping decision impacting hundreds of California inmates: Governor Gavin Newsom is commuting the death sentences of ALL 548 people on California’s death row, changing their punishment to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin is speaking out, accusing Newsom of injecting politics into the criminal justice system. What does this mean for California’s death penalty moving forward? We’re following the latest developments.
Watch the Palm Springs Pride Parade LIVE this Sunday at 10 AM on NBC Palm Springs’ Facebook and YouTube channels! Join hosts Thalia Hayden and NBC Palm Springs News Director David Reese for all the parade excitement, live from Palm Springs. Can’t make it in person? Celebrate with us online! Livestream sponsored by @DAP Health #PalmSpringsPride #PrideParade #NBCPalmSprings
Honor our veterans and get moving at the 3rd Annual Indio Veterans Day 5K & 10K Run! Join the community Wednesday, November 11, at the Empire Polo Club for a morning of fitness, fun and recognition of the men and women who have served our country. Register now and save $10 on your registration fee with promo code NBCUniversal. See you at the starting line! #Indio #VeteransDay #VeteransDay5K #VeteransDay10K #CoachellaValley #NBCPalmSprings
CNN’s Annie Grayer goes inside a ballot-counting center in Mississippi as absentee ballots are counted. Democratic candidate Scott Colom and the state’s incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith are locked in a razor-thin Senate race following Tuesday’s election.
🚨 TWO DISTURBING CRIME CASES IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. A Palm Desert woman accused of beating her husband to death with a flagpole is expected back in court this morning. Vicky Kim, 65, faces a murder charge after her husband was found dead outside their home at the Enclave condominiums. PLUS: A weekend stabbing in downtown Palm Springs leads to an attempted murder arrest. Police say 38-year-old Francisco Elias stabbed a man in the neck and upper body following two altercations before fleeing in a white Mercedes. The victim has been released from the hospital, and Elias is now behind bars. 🚔 Get the latest on both cases. #CoachellaValley #PalmDesert #PalmSprings #CrimeNews #BreakingNews #LocalNews
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry. Will you go to the pride parade this year?
After the Democrats flipped control of both the House and the Senate, victorious candidates celebrated their historic wins in victory speeches across the country.
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms is the first Black female governor in US history.
In July, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed in Houston by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in a traffic stop as part of a “targeted operation,” ICE said. Voters are now leaving their “I Voted” stickers at his memorial site.
The Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival, presented by Agua Caliente Casinos, returns November 20–22, 2026, for a weekend of hot air balloons, live music and entertainment. Saturday, November 21: 6:30 PM – Robin Thicke performs live. 7:45 PM – Festival drone light show. Tickets and more information at www.cchotairballoonfest.com. #CathedralCity #HotAirBalloonFestival #RobinThicke #AguaCalienteCasinos #CoachellaValley #PalmSprings #DroneLightShow #NBCPalmSprings