Coyote mom searches for pups seized from den in California yard. ‘Beyond sad’
Building her den in a California yard cost her — but the “tragedy” may have a happy ending. Wildlife rehabilitators are caring for four coyote pups taken from a homeowner's yard in California, California, and hope to release them back into the wild where they belong. The homeowner brought the pups to Project Wildlife at the San Diego Humane Society, which is caring for them at a cost of $1,800. The pup's mother, who lives in a den in the yard of a property owner who does not want the coyotes around, was unable to reunite with the puppies and will be raised in captivity until they're old enough to be released into the wilderness. Officials warned that moving coyotes from an established territory could pose stress and potentially lead to their death. The humane society also explained that relocating the animals from their territory could harm their ability to find and compete for food and potentially kill them. The best way to keep coyotes away from your property is to make sure there are no food and water sources on your property, including outdoor pet food.
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Wildlife rehabilitators are caring for four coyote pups taken from a homeowner’s yard in California — and hope to release them back into the wild “where they belong.”
The homeowner didn’t want the coyotes under the deck of their Pacific Beach home so they brought the pups to Project Wildlife at the San Diego Humane Society, the organization said on Facebook on Wednesday, March 27.
In comments under the post, some neighbors say they’ve noticed a lone coyote frantically pacing the neighborhood and suspect it could be the pup’s mother searching for her babies.
“This is just beyond sad,” they said.
Several others said they had seen a coyote acting in the same exact way.
“The mother is all over our neighborhood looking for them and completely stressed. It is the most tragic thing to watch,” someone said.
Because humane society officials can’t release the pups back to their den to reunite with their mother, they’ll raise them in captivity until they’re old enough to be released into the wild, officials said.
Someone asked why it isn’t possible to trap the mom and try to relocate her with her pups.
“Unfortunately, mom built her den in the yard of a property owner who does not want the coyotes around, so although reuniting is possible, we are unable to access the area,” officials explained.
Officials went on to explain how moving them from an established territory could threaten the timid animals’ ability to find and compete for food and could ultimately lead to their death.
“Catching and relocating mom and babies is not a realistic option, as this will not only cause incredible stress to both mom and her babies, it will also leave the family stranded in an unfamiliar area with no knowledge of resources and no established shelter,” officials said.
One of the commenters on the Facebook post was from a man who said he was the homeowner. He said the coyote had bitten their dog and with two young kids at home, “safety comes first so we cannot have a protective coyote mom and puppies at our house. We are animal lovers and it breaks our heart.”
He added that the family “looked at all feasible options and after a week and half of attempting to relocate the mom and pups, dropping them off to project wildlife was the best option for their survival.”
Officials hope to educate others on how they can cohabitate with wildlife in the case of future sightings or conflicts, officials said in the post.
“While this situation is unfortunate, it serves as a valuable reminder that the best place for baby wildlife is with their parent(s)!” officials said. “Often, the absence of a parent doesn’t mean the baby has been abandoned. If you find a litter of wild animals, it’s crucial to leave them undisturbed while giving the parents time to return.”
Coyotes give birth and raise their babies near their dens or burrows in the spring, and the pups stay in the den for three to four weeks before venturing out, officials said. Coyote parents will move the pups to another den site if they feel they’re threatened, and often they’ve already picked a new den site but wait for nighttime to move their pups more safely, officials said.
The best way to keep coyotes away from your property is to make sure there’s no food and water sources on your property, including outdoor pet food, officials said. If you do run into one, you can haze them by waving your arms and making lots of loud noise using pots and pans, a whistle or air horn, and yelling.
“By using proactive measures and understanding the natural behaviors of coyotes, we can coexist with our wild friends while safeguarding both their welfare and ours,” officials said.