Santa Barbara County is experiencing a rise in wildlife sightings in urban areas, and coyote visits in particular appear to be more prevalent.
“Frankly, throughout the state of California, we are seeing what seems like an increase in coyote visits,” said Tim Daley, public information officer for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In Santa Barbara County, officials are receiving reports of coyotes, bears and rattlesnakes.
“The drought in general is playing a role in a likely increase in wildlife activity in animals that we have not seen before,” Daley said.
He said it’s likely that animals are traveling farther to get food and water.
Daley said he has heard of one town in Southern California where people are “putting out food and water to coyotes.”
The official offered some tips to reduce the chances of encounters with wildlife.
“We all have to do everything we can to reduce the amount of visits and potential nuisances and potential attacks on our pets by putting away pet food at night,” Daley said. “Keep an eye on our small pets. We need to do what we can to change the behavior, to change the approach, the patterns, that invite our wildlife our community.”
The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network regularly responds to injured animals.
“Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network saw a huge increase in wildlife patients in 2020, presumably because more people were spending time outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic,” spokeswoman Lauren Gonzales said. “Certain conditions, like droughts, typically lead to an increase of wildlife in our area that inevitably interface with citizens.
“Most of our patients arrive into our care because of human-related causes, including car strikes, rodenticide poisoning, dog/cat attacks, habitat destruction and more. It’s important to remember we always share our backyard with wildlife of all kinds, whether we see them or not.”
She offered tips for individuals who encounter wildlife:
» If you encounter a rattlesnake outside, don’t make any sudden movement. Keep calm and slowly and quietly back away from the snake. If there’s a rattlesnake in your backyard, keep your pets and children inside and call Animal Control.
» If you encounter a coyote or mountain lion outside, don’t turn your back or run. Make yourself look big, make loud noises and calmly back away.
» No matter the animal, it’s always best to give plenty of space, and never attempt to touch or feed the animal.
Daley added that he is seeing “a number of bear calls.”
“We all can do a better job of sealing up our garbage,” Daley said.
He urged people not to leave “last night’s steak and hamburger” on grills. He said bears are known to spend time in swimming pools, and they can track people’s habits.
“Bears know when it is feeding time,” Daley said. “Their ability to smell is good, and they know when to visit a particular neighborhood.”
He also said rattlesnakes are survivors.
“They are resilient, and their water resource needs are minimal, but they do respond favorably to hot weather,” Daley said. “There may be increasing activity because of hotter and drier weather.”
The best protection against rattlesnakes getting into the yard is a “rattlesnake proof” fence, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The fence should either be solid or with mesh no larger than one-quarter inch. It should be at least 3 feet high with the bottom buried a few inches in the ground. Slanting the snake fence outward about a 30-degree angle will help, according to the department.
Keep vegetation away from the fence and remove piles of boards or rocks around the home. Use caution when removing those piles — there may already be a snake there. Encourage and protect natural competitors such as gopher snakes, kingsnakes and racers. Kingsnakes actually kill and eat rattlesnakes.
What to Do in the Event of a Snake Bite
Though uncommon, rattlesnake bites do occur, so have a plan in place for responding to any situation, according to keepmewild.org. Carry a cell phone, hike with a companion who can assist in an emergency and make sure that family or friends know where you are going and when you will be checking in. In the event of a bite:
» Stay calm but act quickly.
» Remove watches, rings, etc., that may constrict swelling.
» Transport the victim to the nearest medical facility.
For more first aid information, call the California Poison Control System at 800.222.1222.
What Not to Do After a Rattlesnake Bite
» Don’t apply a tourniquet.
» Don’t pack the bite area in ice.
» Don’t cut the wound with a knife or razor.
» Don’t use your mouth to suck out the venom.
» Don’t let the victim drink alcohol.
General Tips to Help Wildlife
» Keep dogs on a leash. Dogs off-leash are at increased risk of encountering a mountain lion or coyote. The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network receives hundreds of animal patients each year (including baby bunnies, birds, etc.) that are caught by dogs.
» Avoid using rat poison. Rodenticide can poison and kill other animals in the food chain by mistake (such as owls, foxes and mountain lions).
» Avoid using snap traps or glue traps. Unintended victims (skunks, birds, etc.) can get stuck in the traps and become seriously injured.
» Never feed wild animals. Not only is it potentially bad for their health, but it can develop a problematic association of food with humans.
» Make sure pets are secured indoors, especially overnight. Wildlife such as coyotes and mountain lions are opportunistic predators that take advantage of easy prey.
» If you see a wild animal who appears to need help, the SBWCN Helpline is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day at 805.681.1080.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
