TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and any related documents, with the Loyola Marymount University Center for Urban Resilience, to conduct a one-year study involving human and coyote conflicts in the City of Long Beach, in an annual amount not to exceed $34,000, with an option to extend the study for two one-year terms, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Like many other cities in Southern California and all across the country, the City of Long Beach (City) has been dealing with human and coyote conflicts for many years. In November 2015, the Animal Care Services Bureau in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (ACS), developed a comprehensive coyote management plan as well as an online map to provide information to the community regarding recent coyote activity throughout the city. However, ACS continues to hear from members of the community that neither the current plan nor City staff have the background and knowledge to effectively deal with this issue. Although this issue is not as broad or widespread as is often portrayed, ACS believes that a more intensive study will help to better inform policies and practices moving forward.
In order to gain the necessary scientific information needed to develop a long term coyote management solution, ACS proposes to embark on a one- to three-year study conducted by leading researchers from the CURes program. CURes is a group of academics, environmental professionals and community partners committed to improving the quality of life in urban communities. Information gathered from the initial year of the study will be used to determine future decisions regarding the need and scope for the possible additional years of the study. In addition to the biophysical study, the researchers and their teams will be focusing on human social factors.
Components of the study include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Review of existing coyote activity data and complete overall citywide assessment;
• Game camera analysis to track coyote movement throughout the city;
• Dietary study through scat analysis;
• Coyote capture and radio collaring for tracking purposes;
• Domestic cat field study;
• Neighborhood educational initiatives and stakeholder surveys;
• Identification and recruitment of key teachers from local community schools to assist with Classroom curriculum for High School and Middle Schools;
• Opportunities for local students to participate and gain real world experience; and,
• A final report containing specific coyote management recommendations.
The study will be headed by Drs. Eric G. Strauss and Peter J. Auger who have several decades of experience assessing and mitigating coyote/human management issues in New England. Dr. Auger is also the current Director of Education for the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study, which has been radio-tracking coyotes in Rhode Island since 2004, and is considered one of the most scientifically articulate and respected long-term coyote management programs in the United States.
ACS is also contacting our neighboring cities to whom we provide animal care services to partner financially with us for this study and help share some of the costs.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Arturo D. Sanchez on December 1, 2016 and by Budget Management Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on December 5, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on December 20, 2016, in order to execute the contracts and begin the study within the timeframe and availability provided by CURes.
FISCAL IMPACT
The agreement with CURes for the first year of the study is $34,000, and will use existing appropriations in the General Fund (GF) in the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department (PR). Supplemental funds could be drawn from ACS trust funds, if needed. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
MARIE KNIGHT
DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER