Coyotes and You
While visiting Briones Regional Park the other day, I had a conversation with another hiker about coyotes in the parklands.
We talked for a while, then went our separate ways. No more than five minutes later, a coyote crossed my path on the Briones Crest Trail.
I took this as a sign that it’s time again to provide some information about these dog cousins. So here’s some coyote lore, mostly from Park District naturalists.
Coyotes live throughout the western United States and beyond. You can see them in almost every East Bay Regional Park. Intelligent and adaptable, they also prowl nearby suburban neighborhoods, including mine in Pleasant Hill.
If you don’t see the animal itself, you may see its distinctive scat, which has a lot of fur in it from the small rodents that make up coyotes’ basic diet. Through their eating habits, coyotes help to control the population of animals such as rabbits, ground squirrels, skunks and raccoons. They are pretty much omnivorous; they will also prey on fish, birds, reptiles and even insects.
Although they look like skinny German shepherd dogs, coyotes are wild and may occasionally be aggressive, especially if protecting a den. If you are walking with your dog and see a coyote approaching, it’s best to call your pet back to you and put it on leash. If a coyote follows you, make loud noises to scare it away.
Back in 2021 a specific coyote was implicated in attacks on people in Moraga and Lafayette. Until those incidents, coyote attacks on people had been very rare. I’ve heard of no attacks locally since then. By the way, cows do not differentiate between coyotes and dogs; they regard both as predators. This may account for cows’ sometimes-nervous behavior when you walk past with your dog. If there are cows nearby in a Regional Park, your dog is supposed to be leashed.
It’s best for both species if coyotes remain wary of humans. So coyotes should never be given handouts or fed unintentionally by leaving pet food or garbage where they can get to it. Especially if you live near open space, feed your pet indoors and use trash containers with lids that clamp shut. It’s also advisable to keep small pets indoors, such as cats, rabbits and dogs. If allowed to run free outside, they can become coyote prey. Large dogs should be brought indoors after dark and should not be allowed to run loose. For more information about coyotes, check out the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website, www.wildlife.ca.gov. There’s also information at the Washington state site: https://wdfw.wa.gov/living/coyotes.html.
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A reminder: Saturday, April 1, is April Fools Day. However, Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont will offer a legitimate program, “Animal April Fools,” from 11 a.m. to noon that day. Join naturalist Erin Blackwood to learn how various animals use camouflage and mimicry to fool predators and prey, then draw an imaginary animal of your own invention to take home. The program is free and registration is not required. Parents must participate with their children. Meet at the visitor center. Coyote Hills is at 8000 Patterson Ranch Road off Paseo Padre Parkway. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. For information, call 510-544-3220.
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Beetles will be the stars of a program on Saturday, April 1 near the visitor center at Sunol Regional Wilderness in southern Alameda County. No hiking is involved. Naturalist Erica Stephens will preside. Visit the beetle station any time between 2 and 3 p.m., obtain a coloring sheet, and build a beetle. Sunol Wilderness is at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road about five miles south of I-680 and the town of Sunol. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle; the program is free of charge. For information, call 510-544-3249.
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“Historic Days” will be a recurring program every Thursday, Friday and Sunday beginning Sunday, April 2 at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., activities will recreate life on a family farm circa 1890-1930. Ride a narrow-gauge train, tour the restored Patterson House Museum, and join park staff in historic costumes for activities throughout the day. Farmyard programs begin at 10:30 a.m. and end with an animal feeding at 3 p.m. Ardenwood is located at 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, just north of Highway 84. Admission fees apply. Parking is free. For information, call 510-544-2797.
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“Insects (And Other Curious Phenomena)” is the theme of a program from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 1 at Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley with naturalist Anthony Fisher. On a casual stroll, the group will look for plants and animals, and bring some back to view under a microscope before releasing them back to the wild. The program is free, and registration is not required. Meet at Tilden’s Environmental Education Center, which is at the north end of Central Park Drive. For information, call 510-544-2233.
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The Alameda whipsnake is a rare and seldom-seen reptile. Naturalist Kevin Dixon will lead a hike through whipsnake habitat at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 2. The trek is for ages nine and older; parent participation is required. It’s free of charge and registration is not necessary. Meet Kevin in the park’s upper parking lot on Somersville Road, 3.5 miles south of Highway 4 and a mile past the entrance kiosk. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is staffed. Heavy rain may cancel the hike. Call 510-544-2750 for information.
These are just a few of the programs and activities planned in coming days in the East Bay Regional Parks. For the full story, go to www.ebparks.org/things-to-do. It is also advisable to check “alerts and closures” at the top of the website home page before you venture out to a Regional Park, in case storm damage or other circumstances have resulted in limited access.