Based on the latest update OC180NEWS received from Caltrans, the land clearing and grubbing behind Rossmoor will start this Thursday. This raises concerns that the work will disrupt coyote and rat habitats, sending the critters scurrying for cover into Rossmoor. In anticipation, coyote trapping was launched in Rossmoor last Friday, county officials have been setting poisonous rat traps, and state Fish and Game officials say they are ready to move forward with the construction project.
Rats are the responsibility of the Orange County Vector Control District and Michael G. Hearst, District Manager, assured OC180NEWS appropriate steps have been implemented. See related article below.
Direct control for coyotes is harder to clearly establish. Officially, it is the California Department of Fish and Game, but other than being on standby, they have delegated much of this responsibility to Caltrans.
“Caltrans has animal control biologists too,” California Department of Fish and Game Spokesperson Andrew Hughan told OC180NEWS. “Caltrans would have no reason to not be truthful about it. We as a department are confident that the information we’re getting from the other agencies is accurate and that we’re ready to proceed with the project.”
But, Fish and Game has not actually performed any on site inspections of their own and is relying on Caltrans. ”It sounds like everybody’s trying to do everything that they can to anticipate any kind of public safety issue,” Hughan told us.
Caltrans has done several inspections of the area, but couldn’t find the coyotes.
“We’ve been walking the area to see if there are any sightings or evidence of coyotes in the area, we went out in late August. I personally went out there in September,” Sylvia Vega, Caltrans Deputy District Director for Environmental Analysis, told OC180NEWS. “We’ve been out there off and on and in fact we have had staff out there recently as well.
We didn’t see evidence of any coyotes living in the area.”
Some local residents might question that conclusion; nevertheless, that’s what Caltrans’ official position seems to be. Neither Caltrans wildlife biologists or California Department of Fish and Game wardens plan to be on site when the land clearing and grubbing actually starts later this week.
“We are prepared, we’re not going to have a warden standing by right there, but of course, they’re available really quickly if something should happen,” said Fish and Game’s Hughan. “If an animal incident actually happens during the process of this clearing operation, whether somebody calls 911 or not, the construction engineer on the site will pick up the phone and call Fish and Game dispatch and say we have a problem and then we’ll react accordingly.”
Meanwhile, the Rossmoor Homeowners Association has provided the funds to Orange County to pay for some limited coyote trapping along the back of Rossmoor. “The trapping contract is in effect and as of 2:30 p.m. today, [Friday, January 14], traps are being placed in the community. The trapper is working with the RHA on trap placement,” wrote Rick Francis, Chief of Staff for Orange County Supervisor John M.W. Moorlach. Francis told OC180NEWS the trapping will continue for about ten days and then the results will be evaluated.
(No Ratings Yet)
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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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Dear OC180 Readers:
The Rossmoor Predator Management Team has provided CalTrans, OCTA, and Supervisor Moorlach’s office with video and pictures of coyotes on CalTrans’ property. Residents behind Martha Ann live in fear as we have 3 families who are constantly hearing coyotes howling from the property behind their homes on Martha Ann.
The Department of Fish & Game will not trap and will not articulate despite numerous pet deaths and a female resident being attacked that the coyotes pose a public safety threat. The female resident had to fight off a coyote attack with a plastic chair between her and the coyote that was trying to bite her.
Chief Francis is in error in his statement “The trapper is working with the RHA on trap placement. RPMT Team Member, David Lara, escorted the coyote trapper hired by RHA from funds that Rossmoor Residents contributed through the RHA paper drive. The trapper used the RPMT coyote map constantly updated by Cathie Williams to show the history of areas of coyote killings and attacks.
We congratulate the community coming together with the RHA paper drive, all of the RHA volunteers who generously devoted time in finalizing the contract and various other ways they serve the Rossmoor Community.
The Rossmoor Predator Management Team since May of 2010, will be reporting to the residents of Rossmoor any activity to related to coyotes on CalTrans’ property. Please continue to report all coyote activity to the Rossmoor Predator Management Team. We will in turn alert residents via email, provide coyote activity status reports to government officials and seek legislation on this issue now that new government officials have taken office.