Intruding on the Coyotes’ Back Yard

In response to “Aggressive Coyotes Evade Traps in Neighborhood” (June 6): The Times has it totally wrong! The crews from the Animal Pest Management Services did not spot one of the animals “in the back yard of a home.” I believe it should be said that they spotted a home in San Clemente in the back yard of the coyotes’ neighborhood.

Considering what the human species has done to buffalo on their prairies, and the salmon in their streams and rivers of the Northwest is to name a few sad moments in humans’ intrusion upon nature.

I endorse the trapping concept versus shooting this magnificent animal. However, the decision not to shoot one of the animals because “the back yard of a home was in the line of fire” indicates killing a coyote is on their minds.

Furthermore, any homeowner must realize that pets are fair game (unfortunately) if they choose to live on the edge of nature’s domain.

It saddens me and my family that we have lost three of our kittens and cats to coyotes or hawks or owls. We are not sure which, but it certainly does not prompt me to live next to a wilderness ravine in the hills of San Juan Capistrano. Call it a “greenbelt area” if you will, but wildlife have another name for it--home.

ROBERT MAXWELL, San Juan Capistrano