Think your three year-old, or the family dog or cat, are safe from attack by urban wild animals in Rossmoor? Think you are protected from a potentially fatal daytime attack because you live in an urban center and wild animals just don’t kill people in places like Rossmoor? Rossmoor resident, mother of a three year-old and activist Christa Chavez doesn’t think so.
Last week Chavez and a few friends formed the Rossmoor Predator Management Team. Chavez toldwww.OC180NEWS.com in a week, the group has grown to over 30 members. Operating under the auspices of the Rossmoor Homeowners Association, the group will make a formal presentation at the Rossmoor Community Services District tonight at 7:00 PM at the Rush Park Community Center.
Coyotes have long been a problem in Seal Beach and Los Alamitos. Residents of those cities have their city councils to go to for something like this. But, since Rossmoor is Orange County, the governmental authority responsible for protecting residents from attacks is murky.
Although no one seems to know for sure, it is generally imagined the coyotes live in and around the storm drains, the 605 freeway, and the San Gabriel River channel. The most affected area in Seal Beach is probably College Park West neighborhood. See our related article below.
For Rossmoor, the areas near the storm drains are a source of concern, for example, where Foster and Martha Ann Cross the storm drain near Main Way. According to Chavez, this is one point where coyotes enter the residential area. See photo.
“I walk the neighborhood of Rossmoor frequently with my three year old child,” said Chavez. “There have been five dogs killed in the last four or five weeks, and one cat. This is when the pups are born and the mothers are out feeding their families, and they’re feeding them our pets and we need to know what to do here.”
While concern about pets is important, Chavez is even more worried about children. “I know there is a sense of complacency and security that exists. We’ve all seen animals that have totally lost their fear of humans and coyotes are capable of that. The problem is they’ve evolved, we haven’t.”
According to a statement from the group, the Rossmoor Predator Management Team “seeks to understand the implications of the coyote population living among us in order to effectively protect ourselves, our children, and our pets from the dangers presented by coyotes,” according to the group’s mission statement. “Our goals are to maximize the resources available to our community in order to create and sustain protection, act as a liaison between residents and government agencies regarding such protection, and to inform and teach the community about the realities of the coyote threat.”
Chavez indicated she is just beginning research into the control of, and protection from, urban coyotes. She has many questions for which she is awaiting answers, not the least of which is, what to do if you, your child, or your pet, is under attack by a coyote. Chavez suggested that due to the evolution of coyotes, particularly their adaption to the urban environment, people might not want to assume a simple hand gesture will scare off the carnivorous predators.
Chavez is working with the Orange County Department of Animal Care and other governmental officials to more fully understand the extent of the problem, but finding information and a person directly responsible for coyote control is—shall we say—in process. Chavez said “The first thing I’d like to know is how many attacks have there been. I can’t even get a simple answer to that question.”
The Rossmoor Predator Management Team’s next goal is to alert local residents about the five coyote attacks in the last few weeks. “Most people don’t realize how frequently the coyotes have been attacking, nor that the attacks are happening during the day,” said Chavez. “While we grieve the tragic loss of family pets, we are most fearful that a small child could be killed this summer in his or her own backyard.”
Chavez said “Our goal is to make improved awareness, control, and protection a reality so that doesn’t happen in Rossmoor.”
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About Dolores Barr, Publisher
Dolores Barr has lived in Rossmoor since 1992 and has created this site to provide local news for the people of Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Leisure World, Sunset Beach, and Surfside, California. My husband and I have had two students graduate from the Los Alamitos Unified School District and currently our Grandson, Ricky Apodaca, grade 3 at Weaver Elementary, is actively involved in youth baseball through LAYB and youth football through FNL.
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Hello, I'm a concerned resident of Rossmoor. We are on Silver Fox and Druid. Last night I witnessed a coyote jump over our 6ft fence and kill our chihuahua. I was just on the other side of a window and heard it choking my dog. I saw the thing jump over our fence with one leap and take off. Our dog died moments after and I was shaken. I couldn't sleep all night. I have a 4month old and 4 year old, and would like to find these before they attack a human. Please keep me informed as to what goes on here. Now we are minus a family memeber.