As communities grow and expand into previously undeveloped areas, wild animals (coyotes, raccoons, etc.) are losing much of their natural habitat. As a result, they are becoming more acclimated to urban and suburban surroundings and can navigate access into residential areas and backyards. Wild animals can easily hurt, maim or even kill household pets that do not have the survival skills or temperament to defend themselves. By nature, coyotes are fearful of humans and tend to follow travel paths along railroad tracks, riverbeds, and open fields. 

In response to coyote activity in neighborhoods, the Norwalk City Council adopted the Coyote Coexistence and Management Plan on October 1, 2019 to provide education and guidance in responding to human/coyote interactions.

• Coyote Coexistence and Management Plan

 Below is a coyote education and safety video prepared by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and the City of Costa Mesa

For more information regarding coyotes you can visit:

California Department of Fish & Wildlife: "Keep Me Wild"

Education Measures to Deter Coyote Encounters 

Residents are encouraged to remove attractants around their households, such as food sources, water sources, overgrown vegetation, and unattended pets in yards. Please use the Coyote Yard Audit Checklist below to learn how to deter coyotes and other wildlife from entering your property.

Coyote sightings should be reported to Public Safety Dispatch at (562) 929-5732 or via an online submission form, which can be accessed by clicking the link below. 

Click the map icon below to access the interactive coyote encounter map.

Some coyotes have become too comfortable in the proximity of people. To safely coexist, it’s important to modify this behavior and attitude in resident coyote populations. Habituated coyote behavior needs to be reshaped to encourage coyotes to avoid contact with humans and pets. Hazing, also known as “fear conditioning” is the process that facilitates this change. The more often an individual animal is hazed, the more effective hazing is in changing coyote behavior. Please click the link below to learn more about proper coyote hazing techniques. 

Are you interested in learning more about coyotes and enhancing your skills as a steward for our state's wildlife? Please click the image below to learn more about the Wildlife Watch program.  

The City of Norwalk works with the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority (SEAACA) and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) to address coyote related issues.  A sick, injured, or deceased coyote should be reported to SEAACA at (562) 803-3301. If the coyote is posing an immediate threat or attacking, please call 9-1-1 immediately. Please be advised that neither SEAACA, nor Fish and Wildlife trap and relocate coyotes.