Coyote Sighting Spotlights Neighborhood Safety

A recent sighting of two coyotes near the Castro Valley Community Center is getting the attention of residents and calling attention to neighborhood safety.

On June 26, around 6 a.m., a Castro Valley man reported seeing two medium-sized coyotes sneaking around homes and side yards near the intersection of Lake Chabot Road and Seven Hills Road. The Castro Valley News posted a picture of the two animals. One coyote was reportedly carrying a hind quarter of another animal. The animals were then spotted running up Carlwyn Drive.

Coyotes have been spotted in Castro Valley before. The last confirmed sighting near the middle of town was back in July 2022 on Malabar Avenue near Redwood Road. Before that, homeowners reported that a mangy-furred coyote prowled around Seven Hills and Almond Avenue neighborhoods in January 2015.

In April 2015, hikers spotted a coyote on the Cameron Loop trail in Lake Chabot Park. Homeowners along Ridgewood Drive near Palomares Hills even reported a den of coyotes living in their neighborhood in the spring of 2014.

 John Krause, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said that though he wasn’t aware of a spike in coyote activity near Castro Valley, it’s possible the previous years’ droughts combined with a lack of food in their native spaces are to blame for the latest sighting.

“Coyotes are opportunists,” Krause told the Castro Valley Forum. “If they see an easy meal or a chance to drink water, they’re going to take it.”

Coyotes look very different than domestic dogs like the Alaskan Husky or Malamute in that coyotes are taller with narrow and pointed faces and a small nose pad. They are often gray or reddish brown in color and typically keep their tails low. Coyotes are naturally afraid of humans, whereas a dog is likely to come right to you if called.

Wild predators like coyotes and foxes are somewhat common in Alameda County. Last year, Vector Control registered five incidents, mostly in the East Bay hill areas. Tracking the movement and behavior of these animals is difficult because of the terrain and the animals' nature to spread out.

Because the sighting was near homes and parks where kids play, officials are recommending homeowners take precautions to prevent a return visit and protect their families.

“The first thing you should do if you see a coyote is to harass them as much as possible,” Krause said. “Yell in a loud voice, throw things at them, even turn a water hose on and spray them to make them run away. The last thing you want is for a coyote or another wild creature to get comfortable coming to your neighborhood.”

Krause also warns people to keep their animals in the house if possible because the coyote may come back. Coyotes primarily hunt rodents and rabbits for food but will take advantage of whatever is available, including garbage, pet food, and domestic animals.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests these simple things you can do to keep wild animals wild:

·         Put garbage in tightly closed containers that cannot be tipped over.

·         Bring pets in at night, and do not leave pet food or water for them outside.

·         Avoid using bird feeders as they attract rodents and other coyote prey.

·         Provide secure enclosures for rabbits, chickens, and other small animals.

·         Pick up fallen fruit and cover compost piles.

·         Ask your neighbors to follow these tips.

If coyotes are given access to human food and garbage, their behavior changes, and they will come back, Krause noted.