Native Americans Attend Meeting to Protest Coyote Trapping

Coyotes have been a growing problem for parts of Orange
County, but a humane solution has yet to be found.
(Location of image unknown, via Surf  City Voice)

Remember the rash of coyote attacks that occurred over the summer? Their sightings had been increasing and had become so brazen that in July, a coyote knocked a woman down and took her dog that she had been walking in Laguna Woods that morning. In a one-week span, a dog and five cats were killed by a male coyote in the neighborhood.  Things had become so bad that residents had resorted to walking their dogs armed with bats and golf clubs.

"That's very concerning to us that the coyotes are as bold as they are, not showing fear of humans, that they're coming so closely in very urban areas and attacking the dogs right outside of some folks' homes," said Jim Beres, a Laguna Woods Animal Services supervisor.

The problem also exists in Anaheim, where residents who were frustrated by the inaction of the city despite the many complaints about coyotes, decided to pool their money together to hire a private trapper. Southern California Edison, which owns several miles of nursery land that runs beneath the power lines in the area, gave permission to have the traps set up on their property.

When a few weeks ago Animal Control had to euthanize a coyote that had been trapped and was in distress, the reaction was mixed.  While residents agree that the result would not be enough to fully alleviate the problem, the biggest protest came from a group of Native Americans, who visited a City Council meeting on Tuesday to address their concerns.

Apache Daklugie Running-Hawk and Carlos White Eagle
came to an Anaheim City Council meeting to ask that
coyotes not be trapped and euthanized
(image via OC Register)

"We want Anaheim and all of Orange County to know that we have lived in harmony with coyotes and other wildlife for generations, and killing coyotes with poison, traps or GPS devices is unfair and upsets the balance of nature," said Randal Massaro of Victorville, a representative for Union Members for Preservation of Wildlife Worldwide.

Apache Daklugie Running-Hawk, who said he is a spiritual leader for the Tarasco Nation band of Indians (based in Lucerne Valley), also spoke to the Council, saying, "These are our four-legged friends, and this is their land. Now they are trying to drive them out, like they drove us (Native Americans) out generations ago. We need to live among them and learn from them."

While the City took no action, Edison has since asked the traps to be removed.