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| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | SEPTEMBER 2023 | 9 By Michele Walter, crystalwater@dc.rr.com If you did not have a chance to see the August presentation that was given by Vector Control and the Downtown Revitalization Plan, please tune in to channel 97 or go to the Sun Lakes website under 'Community Awareness' and watch the video there. We want to keep our community safe. I am again reminding residents to please slow down and stop at all stop signs. This goes for automobiles, golf carts and bikes. Please make sure you abide by the speed limit signs for your safety and the safety of everyone else. Did you know that golf carts do not have the right of way? So please, golf carts, be cautious out there. With the recent fires, the coyotes, mountain lions and bobcats have been seen more often. They are looking for food and water. Mating season for coyotes is December through February. Coyotes are more protective of dens/territories during pup rearing (April-August.) Coyotes often mate for life, are devoted parents, and are highly communicative (barks, yips, howls). Coyotes weigh 18-35 pounds in the west and 30-60 pounds in the east. Coyotes eat large numbers of rodents and rabbits, as well as fruit, vegetations, insects, and carrion. They help keep ecosystems vital, healthy, and clean. Safety Tips From projectcoyote.org • Coyotes are active in the daytime and nighttime • They are most active at dusk and dawn What is "Hazing?" Hazing simply means, scaring a coyote away from you, your yard or neighborhood. Coyotes are members of the dog family, and just as we train our dogs to adopt good behavior, we can reinforce a coyote's natural instinct to avoid people without harming them. When to take action (Haze) • If a coyote approaches to a proximity that you feel is uncomfortable and you can make and maintain eye contact, do not turn and run, haze the coyote • Hazing should be exaggerated, assertive and consistent Quick Coyote Hazing Tools • Carry a walking stick or air horn • Surprise with a pop-up umbrella or a simple noise maker (keep a penny in a shiny soda can and shake!) • Whistles, bells, pots, pan lids • Motion activated lights or sprinklers, garden hoses • Supersoaker spray gun filled with vinegar water • Wave your arms overhead, make direct eye contact and yell. Don't stop until the coyote leaves • Pick up your small dog or put your large dog behind you before you haze so that the coyote focuses on you and your message REMEMBER THINK PREVENTION FIRST! Keep pets close and don't let them roam. Please join us for our next program on Sept. 5 from 1 to 3 pm in the Main Clubhouse Ballroom. This will be an informational overview, incident report and summary of the Highland Fire from EPAP, EPAP Animal Rescue Group, Securitas and Banning Police Department. Let us all be informed and stay safe. For more information, please contact Michele Walter at (951) 202-8009 or email crystalwater@ dc.rr.com. I welcome any suggestions for future programs. Community Awareness Program PLEASE REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS INDIVIDUALS, ACTIVITIES, AND THEFTS DIRECTLY TO BANNING POLICE DEPARTMENT BY CALLING 911. One of the most dangerous creatures on the planet is the lowly mosquito, an invasive insect that can carry a life-threatening infective agent called West Nile Virus. One in 150 people bitten by this mosquito can develop severe illness such as encephalitis, which may lead to paralysis and death. The presence of this dangerous insect has been identified here in Sun Lakes, seriously affecting at least one resident in District 9. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, even in as little as a bottle cap, so PLEASE check your porches and patios for flowerpots, old tires, buckets, birdbaths, or anything that could possibly contain standing water. Mosquitoes are attracted to the smell of humans. If you sit out on your porch or patio around dusk or early morning, use a repellent that contains DEET, lemon or eucalyptus oil, or a compound with IR3535. For more information, contact Andrea Merrill, Riverside County Department of Environmental Health at (951) 766-9454 or ARMerril@rivco.org. ~ Linda Vieira, Lvieira@eltree.com DANGEROUS MOSQUITOES FOUND IN SUN LAKES

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