Coyote attacks are rising in Los Angeles as urbanization continues and more animals lose their natural habitats.
As more and more apartment complexes and office buildings are built, animals in Los Angeles have fewer areas to live and roam. Over the past year, Los Angeles has seen a rise in coyote attacks, Saurabh reports.
“Be very careful if you’re hiking with your dog up here in Griffith Park,” says actor Travis Van Winkle, whose dog was recently attacked earlier this year. “Two coyotes came after her. One of them almost got her leg. I had to slide down the mountain shouting at the top of my lungs.”
In September 2021, a woman saved her chihuahua after a coyote dragged it off the porch of her house. In July 2021, a woman was attacked by a coyote while she was tending to her horses.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says coyotes play a major role in our ecosystem by maintaining rodent populations. It highlights that while coyotes are afraid of humans, they will rummage through human food and trash.
The department recommends a variety of safety precautions, including: don’t feed or try to tame coyotes, don’t leave small pets or animals by themselves, don’t leave food outside and remove water sources, particularly in dry climates.
