Coyote sightings are on the rise at CSUSB cont.

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“Having knowledge of these packs of animals is essential to keeping your smaller animals safe and secure in their homes, living in San Bernardino the last few years and hearing more of these stories of smaller animals going missing is truly heartbreaking because those small animals are a part of our families even more than our own siblings sometimes,” said Martosono.

Martosono believes there are necessary precautions to take when the sun goes down living so close to the mountains of San Bernardino that coyotes are known to roam around, including keeping animals inside homes after dark and in the night and early mornings.

Ficek, a junior here at CSUSB, has had experiences with coyotes during the times of her evening classes which occur close to the time of sunset.

“There have also been times I see them lurking around the parking lot, but I know they typically are skittish and do not bother humans,” said Ficek. Ficek does not fear these animals when she spots them, and instead is intrigued by them and seeks to see them at a closer distance.

“I find coyotes to be beautiful creatures, but they are simply to look at and not to be bothered… There have been times I am driving down campus by the recreational center and see two or three coyotes sprinting across the road, and it is my natural instinct to pull over and see if they will approach me as I would for a stray dog,” said Ficek.

Ficek is aware of the safe distances that should be maintained with coyotes. Coyotes typically stay away from humans since they have not been domesticated, nor should anyone attempt to domesticate them.

“Make no mistake, coyotes will not bother you if you do not bother them, but their unfriendly reputation still makes them a threat although they are just another part of the atmosphere of the mountainside,” said Ficek.

Griffin lives in San Bernardino by the CSUSB campus. She shares a different view of coyotes than that Ficek.

“Since I was born and raised here in San Bernardino, I’ve seen coyotes my entire life, and have always thought they were the ugliest little creatures,” said Griffin.

Seeing the coyotes brought a new realization to Griffin about why CSUSB chose its mascot of Cody the coyote.

“I know that they are a symbol of the community as I’ve always driven past CSUSB…I never understood why the university chose coyotes to be the mascot until I got a little older and started driving and saw coyotes EVERYWHERE,” said Griffin.

While coyotes have inspired CSUSB in its mottos, mascot, and more, they should be avoided on and around campus. If you see a coyote, avoid touching it or trying to get its attention. If needed, call campus safety to help when there is a situation.

Information on pet safety is highly available online and can be accessed through a general search for any concerned pet owner.

The coyotes in San Bernardino are a symbol of the beautiful crossover of rural and city landscapes that we have here close to CSUSB, so we want to continue to keep harmonious relations with them without intervening in their living spaces.