Scientists probe recent coyote attacks in California
By ALICIA CHANG, AP Science Writer Mon May 12, 4:54 PM ET
LOS ANGELES - The coyote was limping as it approached a girl in a sand box at a public park —but it was still dangerous. It snapped its jaws on the girl's buttocks and her nanny had to pry thetoddler from the wild animal.Less than a week later, a coyote in a mountain resort town some 35 miles away grabbed a girl bythe head and tried to drag her from a front yard until her mother scared it away.A spate of coyote attacks in the fast-growing suburbs east of Los Angeles have left parents onedge and puzzled wildlife officials."Their aggressive behavior seems to be on the upswing," said Steve Martarano, a spokesmanwith the state Department of Fish and Game. "They just seem to lose their fear of humans."Coyotes normally avoid contact with humans and hunt rabbits and rodents. But scientists saidsome that live near suburban developments are becoming bolder, raiding garbage or evenattacking pets and humans.An increase in coyote attacks on humans in the past decade is most evident in SouthernCalifornia, where bedroom communities have quickly pressed into wilderness, allowing the caninescavengers to roam backyards for food.Since the 1970s, more than 100 coyote attacks on humans in Southern California have beenrecorded, with half the incidents involving children age 10 and younger."If they see a young child and they have a chance, yeah they'll take it," said Kevin Brennan, astate wildlife biologist.The only known fatality involved a 3-year-old girl in the foothill city of Glendale. She was fatallymauled in 1981."We're not sure what pushes them over the edge," said Robert Timm, a wildlife specialist with theUniversity of California system. "There may be no single explanation for it."One possibility is that coyotes give birth to pups this time of year and may need more food for themselves and their babies. Toddlers fall into the size of prey that coyotes would normallyattack.Another theory is that homeowners are unintentionally luring the wild animals by leaving pet foodbowls outside or not securing garbage bins.Game wardens don't normally hunt coyotes unless they pose a threat to people. After attacks,they trap and then shoot coyotes. They also carry shotguns or small-caliber rifles, but won't fireon the animals unless they get a clear shot.
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