By Daily Press staff
Despite the degree of urban development in Santa Monica, various species of wild animals have managed to adapt and develop a niche in the community. The presence of squirrels, possums, and raccoons in many neighborhoods is not uncommon. Less common are sightings of coyotes, although they appear on occasion. Sightings of owls or other raptors are rare but not unheard of.
The Santa Monica Police Department asks that residents not feed wildlife because it encourages wildlife to become dependent on handouts that are not part of their natural diets. ■Young animals that are taught to depend on humans sometimes never develop normal foraging behavior, and could starve if the artificial food sources are removed, the SMPD’s animal control department warns. ■Human foods are usually nutritionally inadequate for wildlife and may lead to subsequent health problems. ■Wildlife may lose their fear of humans and pets, a behavior that could result in wild animals not avoiding contact with aggressive dogs and cats, or people who might intentionally harm them. ■Wild animals being fed by humans may congregate in unnaturally high numbers, increasing the chances of disease transmission. ■Keep garbage in sturdy garbage cans with secure lids. Thoroughly rinse bottles and cans for recycling, and put compost in closed bins instead of in an open compost pile. ■Do not feed your pets outside, or if you must, feed them outside during the day and take food and water bowls inside during the night. ■Pets such as cats, rabbits, and small dogs are easy prey for coyotes. If you suspect the presence of coyotes in your neighborhood, keep pets indoors. Do not leave small children unattended in areas known to be frequented by coyotes, even in your yard. ■Do not provide shelter for wildlife. ■Animals can squeeze into small spaces in their search for shelter, so thoroughly check for holes and cracks in and around the foundation of your home. ■Check under the eaves and in the attic for openings, and cover any holes with suitable material, such as hardware cloth. ■Prevent entry through chimneys and vents by covering the openings with hardware cloth. Make sure that you are not trapping any animals inside before you cover the openings. ■Remove brush piles from your yard, store wood off the ground, and keep trees and brush pruned away from the house.
If you have a dog or cat door, keep it closed in at night to prevent wild animals from coming inside. ■Do not trap animals. When trapped and moved to a new area, a relocated animal will be on unfamiliar ground, putting it at a distinct disadvantage. It will not know where to find food, water, or shelter, and will be extremely stressed from its ordeal of being captured and handled by humans. Also, the animal is likely being dumped into an area that already has an existing population of animals of the same species. This creates an artificial competition for available resources, resulting in conflicts with the resident population. Being at such a disadvantage, the introduced animal usually is forced to move around a lot looking for a suitable home. Often these animals have to settle for marginal habitat, and many of them do not survive the ordeal.
Even though an animal is relocated or killed, other animals will simply move in to take its place unless the underlying nuisance reason is removed. Every year young animals disperse from their parents’ home ranges and look for good habitat to occupy.
There are many effective, humane, and long-term solutions to the problems associated with nuisance wildlife.
It is when wild animals find three components essential for their survival: food, water, and shelter — in and around our homes that they often become nuisance animals. By removing these essential components, the animals are forced to move on to find them elsewhere.
If you have and questions please call the SMPD’s animal control section at (310) 458-8594.
Feeding squirrels, possums, raccoons and coyotes is prohibited under Los Angeles County law.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 15, 2002. Read the original PDF.