The California Department of Fish and Game says in a report that coyotes aren’t the problem— people are.

“Allowing coyotes access to human food and garbage is reckless and deadly,” the literature reports. Coyotes primarily hunt rodents and rabbits for food but will take advantage of whatever’s available.

Bobcats are also carnivorous and eat rodents, young deer, birds and snakes.

A garbage container, pet food, water, fallen fruit or bird feeders outdoors can attract rodents, and the rodents, in turn, attract carnivorous wildlife such as owls, bobcats and coyotes.

Fish and Game officials suggest residents use tightly closed garbage containers that cannot be easily tipped over, remove sources of water, bring pets indoors at night, keep pet food inside the house, store bird feeders indoors at night, enclose rabbit and poultry cages securely and ask neighbors to also follow these tips. Picking up fallen fruit and covering compost piles is also recommended.

Coyotes are probably not going away.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “In spite of being hunted and trapped for more than 200 years, more coyotes exist today than when the U.S. Constitution was signed.”

The department’s report also says coyotes are adaptable scavengers that can live just about anywhere and eat just about anything.