It's pupping season, which means coyotes are especially protective and may exhibit aggressive behavior, specifically towards dogs.
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In an effort to avoid conflict between the two animals, the Presidio Trust will be temporarily closing some San Francisco hiking trails to dogs.
Jonathan Young, a wildlife ecologist with the Presidio Trust, told KCBS Radio the closures have occurred every spring the last six years, when animals, including coyotes, start having their babies.
"Every year we do it proactively, we close trails to dogs before the pups are born," he explained.
Trail closures start next week on April 4 and last through early September.
There will be signs posted in the areas where the coyote dens are as a warning to stay away. They alert dog walkers to the closures and allow them "to basically reroute their walking routine to areas that are not near the den site," Young said.
Coyotes are most prevalent in the dense brush and forest lands on the northwest side of the city. Areas impacted by the closures include Mountain Lake, the Presidio Promenade, the Bay Ridge Trail, the Rob Hill Campground and the Presidio Golf Course.
If you're a dog walker and you encounter a coyote who shows aggressive behavior, it could be because it's protecting its den or pups, so Young warned to pay attention to the animal's behavior.
"It's typically the coyote trying to tell the dog, you need to leave this area now," he said.
"The most important thing to understand is to have your dog on a leash and leave the area," he added. "Having your dog on a leash is going to prevent your dog from chasing the coyote or running away from you."
All trails in the Presidio remain open to the public. Please visit their website for hiking and biking trails in the park.
For more information on coyotes in the Presidio and coyote management, please visit the coyote page on the Trust website.
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