Lions and Coyotes and Bears, Oh My!

Even the cities of California are subject to invasion by the denizens of the forest as Hollywood hears the call of the wild.

A Los Angeles internet blogger who runs the site, "Here in the Hills", reported sighting two coyotes two weeks ago as she drove along Mulholland Drive, within a mile of Hollywood Boulevard.

Dog-walkers in Runyon Canyon, which include celebrities such as Cameron Diaz and Orlando Bloom, have also reported frequent coyote sightings in the last year.

Other wild animals are also becoming increasingly at home in the cities.

Some of the more curious of California's 30,000 black bears frequently invade the gardens of homes to the north of Burbank, home to most of Hollywood's major film studios.

Large bears with cubs have been filmed cooling off in swimming pools, while mountain lions roam the hills beyond.

At least it may be an answer to the problem of feral cats.

Two small family dogs, including a schnauzer and a bichon frise, have been killed by coyotes, which can weigh over 40lbs and have powerful jaws.

But Ken Podborny, a wildlife expert, warned that cats were the main attraction for coyotes and warned homeowners to keep pets indoors overnight.

There are towns and cities in NJ that could use a little help in this area. Some of our towns harbor feeding stations for feral cats. These are built and maintained by the same folks who cry “garbage control” when the subject of bear population control comes up.