Oakland follows a coexistence-based coyote management policy emphasizing public education, hazing techniques, and trash and pet-feeding controls rather than lethal removal, with limited intervention reserved for individual coyotes showing repeated aggressive behavior toward people.
Coyotes are common in Oakland Hills, Lake Merritt, and along regional park edges. Oakland Animal Services partners with East Bay Regional Park District and California Department of Fish and Wildlife on a coexistence approach: residents are encouraged to haze coyotes by yelling, waving arms, or using noisemakers to maintain wariness of humans. Lethal removal is rare and follows CDFW protocols when an individual animal shows attack behavior toward people. Feeding wildlife, intentionally or by leaving pet food and unsecured trash, is prohibited because it habituates coyotes. Small pets should be supervised, especially at dawn and dusk in hillside neighborhoods.
Intentionally feeding coyotes or leaving attractants violates Oakland wildlife-feeding rules, with administrative fines. Killing or trapping a coyote without CDFW authorization can result in state wildlife violations and substantial penalties.
See how other cities in Alameda County handle coyote management.
See how Oakland's coyote management rules stack up against other locations.
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