Culver City Observer -

The city council plans to adoption of the Coyote Study and Management Program and awarding of a Contract on Monday night May 13. The meeting begins at 7pm at City Hall in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers.

The City Council agenda item report will be available online no later than 72 hours prior to the meeting date.

Coyotes have become a growing problems with coyotes roaming local neighborhoods, with pets being attacked and killed by them.

"We documented 50 deaths of animals where there were still enough of the remains so that we could identify them," said Gelli Harris of the group Save Our Pets.

Though coyote sightings have been reported across the City, most have come from the communities of Carlson Park, Culver Crest and Blair Hills.

The uptick in sightings was largely been blamed on the long drought that plagued the Southland for years.

The scarcity of fresh vegetation and rainwater pools caused by the drought lead to a huge decline in mice and other small wildlife that coyotes typically thrive upon, experts say, forcing the wild dogs into more urbanized areas to forage for food and water.

The City’s coyote hotline is (310) 253-6141. Sightings or incidents can also be sent via email to http://www.animal.services@culvercity.org or filed online, https://geodata.ucanr.edu/coyoteCacher/form.

Reports should include the date, time and location of the coyote activity, according to a city spokesperson.

Comments from the public can be submitted in person at the meeting or by letter. Comments by letter can be mailed to the City Clerk, City of Culver City 9770 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232. by e-mail to city.clerk@culvercity.org , or by fax to the City Clerk at 310-253-5779.

David W. Myers contributed to this story.