Expert: Belvedere is resource rich for traveling pair of coyotes

Belvedere may be able to address its coyote concerns in part by tackling its rodent problem, said a wildlife-control expert whose recent field study found no coyote dens but a traveling pair coming into the city.

Consultant Rebecca Dmytryk, CEO of Humane Wildlife Control in Moss Landing, told the City Council on May 8 that trimming and thinning brush would help deter the presence of rodents, which will feed on dog droppings she found on walkways throughout Belvedere.

“Belvedere’s landscape is very lush, with lots of thick ivy, which promotes incredible harborage for rats,” she said. “So, if rats are attracted to Belvedere, they have lots of great places to hide — and with rats come the animals that prey on them like coyotes, foxes and others.”

The presentation was part of a larger initiative to develop a wildlife-management plan after some 73 reports of coyote sightings between October and February, which included fatal pet attacks. In addition to hiring Humane Wildlife Control, the city has also issued free hazing kits, established a reporting hotline and set up a “Coyote Awareness” page on its website, which includes on online reporting form, a yard-deterrent checklist for residents, a copy of Dmytryk’s report and other resources.

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