Wildlife and people have been in the news lately. Perhaps you've heard of coyotes wandering in your neighborhood. You might have also read about how you shouldn't feed wildlife. Did you know they are connected? It's a problem when people feed coyotes either intentionally or unintentionally through uncovered garbage and outdoor pet food. Available food may encourage coyotes to associate closely with humans and to lose their natural fear of us.

In Human-Wildlife Interactions Advisor Niamh Quinn's backyard of extremely urban Southern California, these coyote-human conflicts occur. With over 3 million people in Orange County, 8 state parks and beaches, countless city parks and 19 county parks and wilderness areas, interactions with urban coyotes are bound to happen.

At the 27th Vertebrate Pest Conference, Quinn co-organized a special symposium on urban coyotes where she discussed the issue with wildlife experts and talked about solutions. Quinn says, “We can't manage what we can't measure. This conference provides a unique opportunity to discuss ongoing conflicts, especially those related to urban coyote management. Research is needed to understand urban coyote behavior and if these behaviors are changing as a result of the way we are currently living. Outreach is needed to instruct urbanites on appropriate behavior where coyote conflicts are occurring, and managing coyotes is everyone's concern. We need better and improved strategies for measuring and managing these conflicts.” At the Vertebrate Pest Conference, experts reported on the latest information about coyote attacks on humans, coyote conflicts, and several talks on coyote management, including hazing.

Research is needed to understand urban coyote behavior and if these behaviors are changing as a result of the way we are currently living. Outreach is needed to instruct urbanites on appropriate behavior where coyote conflicts are occurring.

Managing coyotes includes managing people's behavior too. Want to learn what to do? UC IPM has information on vertebrate pest management for urban areas and communities, as well as commercial agriculture.

With so few researchers testing ways to minimize or prevent negative wildlife-human interactions, experts sharing what they’ve learned about this sometimes touchy subject, helps UC learn how to work both the public facing approach and determine research needs. The Vertebrate Pest Conference is a forum where experts, pest management professionals, and wildlife managers increase their knowledge about current research and gain a better understanding of knowledge gaps, including public fears regarding wildlife interactions or wildlife management. It is anticipated that increasing communication amongst the wildlife management community about interactions that are occurring will lead to best management practices for handling these situations, including ideal ways to communicate science-based information to the public.

Be prepared to protect yourself, families and other animals from contact with coyotes by following these tips:

• Never feed coyotes
• Be vigilant with small children in areas where coyotes are often seen and heard
• Keep dogs and cats indoors
• Build a coyote-proof fence where possible
• Enclose backyard poultry, livestock or other small animals that live outside with secure fencing and a roof
• NEVER approach an aggressive, sick or injured coyote