Coyote Ugly
By Ashley Renteria
Imagine walking across campus to your car after your night class or laying in your bed peacefully, only to hear a sudden screaming and howling.
This is a reality for many Taft College dorm students and students who take classes later in the day. Sandy Creek, which runs right next to the college campus, is home to several coyotes.
Although there is usually no sight of them during the day, they are incredibly active at night. It is believed that their nest or home is behind the Ash Street dorms where there is more brush and places to hide.
“I don’t know if they are coyotes or fennec foxes but I think they are mating. It sounds like crying and laughing at the same time and it’s always at night” says Ash Street dorm student Arielle Stoyanow. Another student Valeria Garcia agrees that they are usually heard at night and says to her, their howls sound like children screaming.
Most students have not seen the coyotes in person during the day but dorm student Alexia Gonzales said one night she was on the phone with her father outside and the coyotes were right behind her. She tried to capture a picture of them but they ran away.
Breeze Rivers, another dorm resident said she has not seen or heard them by the Ash Street dorms but has seen them by the track and in the Albertsons parking lot.
These coyotes are not just limited to staying in the creek, they travel far and wide in Taft.
Coyotes can still be considered dangerous animals if they feel they are being threatened. So if you happen to see them, admire their presence from afar.