Full Notification

First and foremost, the City of Torrance understands and is sensitive to the anxiety and fear that coyotes present for many of our residents.  However, we must rely on the vast knowledge and experience of professional experts to guide our coyote management plan.  We have consulted with California Department of Fish and Wildlife and have contracted with private trapping services to conduct assessments on coyote activity in Torrance and determine when and where trapping is appropriate.  To follow anything other than expert opinions and advice would be irresponsible.

There are a multitude of reasons why trapping and killing coyotes is not a sustainable long-term solution, ranging from high costs to low likelihood that the “problem” coyote is the one ultimately trapped.  The primary reason, however, is that coyotes have evolved with an adaptive, evolutionary strategy for surviving under persecution.  When coyote populations are pressured, their litter sizes increase.  They use their howls to create a kind of census of coyote populations.  If their howls are not answered, it triggers an autogenic response that produces larger litters.  The normal litter size is 5-6 pups.  When their populations are suppressed, coyote litters can increase to 12-16 pups.  You can reduce the numbers of coyotes in a given area by 70% but the next summer their population will be back to its original number. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/coyote-america-dan-flores-history-science/

The best long-term solution is the City, along with each and every one of its residents; working together to educate one another and continuing to take safety precautions while properly and consistently hazing coyotes.  This will ultimately change coyote behavior and bring back their natural fear of humans.  In the meantime, the City will monitor aggressive or attacking coyotes and continue to trap and remove them in accordance with the advice of our expert consultants.

The City has trapped a total of five coyotes to date.  State Law prohibits the relocation of trapped coyotes and they are therefore euthanized.  The law allows for gassing the animal; however, out of respect for the position of animal rights supporters and for the animals themselves, the City has opted for contracting with several local veterinarians to administer a lethal injection to the trapped coyote, similar to putting down a suffering pet.  These are two primary ways the City is taking a balanced approach to coyote management while keeping public safety as its highest priority.

Click the following link for more information on the City’s Urban Coyote Management Plan: http://www.torranceca.gov/TPD/Documents/City_of_Torrance_Urban_Coyote_Management_Plan_-_Final_Rough_Draft_-_June_6_2016_(3).pdf

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