| The establishment of Coyotes (Canis latrans) in urban areas across the United States is a relatively recent phenomenon that is typically associated with controversy and due to a variety of ecological and societal factors the species will remain ever-present. In the early 2000s the Presidio of San Francisco, an urban national park, had a re-establishment of coyotes. The associated conflicts (whether perceived or real), as well as the management approaches, have been one the most significant contentions among the local community. In order to reduce human-coyote conflict a variety of strategies have been developed and implemented throughout the years. Educational outreach to the community, including informational pamphlets and signage, has been the most applied approach as human behavior is one of the main factors driving a majority of these conflicts. Additionally, a coyote incident response protocol has been developed to standardize the documentation of reported encounters while identifying thresholds and guiding appropriate and consistent responses. More active methods, such as the use of spatial deterrents and/or physical barriers, have been used under specific circumstances. Although these techniques have achieved desired results much improvement remains and are in need of refinement and innovation. |