Commentary: Drones can help control coyote population
Paparazzi are utilizing aerial drones to invade the privacy of celebrities, and our state Legislature is considering legislation to address this matter.
The Los Angeles Police Department has expressed an interest in possibly using aerial drones in police work under certain circumstances. Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com has petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to do a test in the Seattle area. He envisions using drones to deliver packages weighing 5 pounds or less.
Yes, the drones are here, and they will be coming in droves in the near future. While I am deeply concerned about related privacy issues, with neighbors able to spy on neighbors, and while it will be interesting to see what laws and ordinances are enacted in coming years to control abuses, I see no problem at all in using the drones to invade the privacy of coyotes in urban settings.
In doing so, we would begin for the first time to contain the coyote problem, which is growing by leaps and bounds across our country.
For some reason coyotes are becoming less fearful of man. In many communities, they are a threat to our pets and young children — as well as to the peace of mind of many pet owners and parents. The time has come for them to join their ancestral enemy, the wolf, and be banished from the urban scene.
This pet owner proposes utilizing the aerial drones to ferret out all the coyote dens in our city. We can then catalog and inventory them.
This is the scenario I envision: Someone sees a coyote and reports it using a toll-free number. An agent, under the auspices of police and animal control, reports that sighting to Costa Mesa’s helicopter patrol. If a helicopter is in the vicinity and available, it gets the coyote in sight. (If the helicopter is engaged in serious police work at the moment, not routine surveillance, the coyote gets a free pass for that day.)
The helicopter coordinates with the agent on the ground, who has access to an aerial drone and will endeavor to get the coyote in sight. As soon as that is accomplished, the helicopter is no longer needed and can resume its regular duties.
The drone follows the coyote until its den is identified and filmed. At this point no human has gotten close to the coyote.
Later on, trained personnel would visit the den and tranquilize, neuter or terminate the coyotes there.
Their population must be contained. And it is the advent of the aerial drones that may be the technological breakthrough that will facilitate never-before-achieved success.
Costa Mesa is one of the few cities that utilize helicopter service. It has an opportunity to take a leadership role in this area and perhaps become known for something other than an attempt to lay off half its municipal workforce in the last recession.
AL MELONE is a candidate for Costa Mesa City Council.