After problems a year ago, coyote-human conflicts on decline at Tahoe

Monday, Aug. 28, 2000 | 9:03 a.m.

"We've had a couple of calls in Round Hill of humans coming in contact with coyotes this summer, but no reports of bites so far," said Rhonda Moore, supervisor of Douglas County Animal Control.

Last summer, seven people were bitten by coyotes in Stateline. Officials said the coyotes had become dependent on humans for food, a habit that can bring out aggressive behavior in the normally shy animals.

In an effort to protect public safety, 20 coyotes were subsequently killed by Nevada Animal Damage Control officers in the Stateline casino area.

Moore said thinning out the area's coyote population has greatly reduced conflicts this summer.

But officials in neighboring El Dorado County, Calif., which covers South Lake Tahoe, are trying to avoid similar drastic measures.

The county has paid for brochures informing Tahoe tourists about living with coyotes. The literature will be distributed through local vacation rental agencies.

"I think the locals are aware of the problem, but not all our visitors are," county Supervisor Dave Solaro said. "They don't realize the problem they create when they do feed them.

"Coyotes are intelligent. Once they've been fed, they will come back again and again to that source, and then someone's pet is missing."

Tom Davis, owner of the Tahoe Keys Resort property management company, said he has seen up to five coyotes at a time trot through his neighborhood in the center of South Lake Tahoe.

He said he plans to hand out the brochures to his clients, even though complaints about coyotes from renters are down this summer.

"We haven't had any coyote calls; we've had more calls about bears this year," Davis said.

"What we're more concerned about is people feeding the birds and geese because they stay in Tahoe instead of continuing on their migratory path."