Date of Graduation

Winter 12-17-2021

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Environmental Management (MSEM)

Abstract

As cities in North America grow, coyotes have become progressively more important species in urban ecosystems. Moreover, as coyotes increasingly use these urban spaces, human-coyote conflicts have become more common, creating a need for new management strategies. This paper will explore how the city of San Francisco could create a new coyote management plan for its highly visible coyote population. San Francisco has had a persistent coyote population since the early 2000s (Todd, 2018). Currently, the coyote population is close to 100 individuals and is still growing (J. Young, Presidio Trust, pers. comm.). To explore this topic a literature review of research on urban wildlife and coyotes was done. Additionally, a comparative analysis was conducted on four existing urban coyote management plans includes ones from Chicago, Long Beach, Newport Beach, and the city of Davis. The comparative analysis revealed three key components that all successful coyote management plans must have. These key components include a public education program, a humane coyote hazing program, and a coyote incident response plan. In the case of San Francisco’s management plan, the main component the city should focus on is public education on coyotes. Most of the human-coyote conflicts in the city are caused by the ignorance of city residents. This ignorance includes residents feeding the coyotes and letting their dogs off leash. By creating a new coyote management plan with a focus on public education, San Francisco can encourage better resident behavior which, in turn, reduces human-coyote conflicts and inspires coexistence.

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