Orange County encourages residents to haze coyotes, secure attractants, and report aggressive encounters under a coordinated management plan run with OC Animal Care, OC Parks, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Coyotes are common in OC unincorporated canyons, foothill cities, and beach communities. The County does not relocate or trap healthy coyotes; instead, OC Animal Care promotes hazing such as yelling, waving arms, and using noisemakers to maintain wild fear of humans. Residents must avoid feeding wildlife under OCCO Title 1 and avoid leaving pet food, trash, or fallen fruit accessible. CDFW handles depredation permits when livestock or pets are killed. Aggressive coyotes that show no fear or attack people are reported to OC Animal Care or CDFW for targeted removal.
Intentional or attractant-based wildlife feeding can bring administrative citations starting around one hundred dollars; aggressive incidents trigger CDFW response.
See how other cities in Orange County handle coyote management.
See how Costa Mesa's coyote management rules stack up against other locations.
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