End Pavement

Well, if the mountain lions and coyotes don’t get you, not to worry — the mosquitoes are out to get you, too. ;) More precisely, mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus. An infected crow was found in Ontario last week, as discussed in this San Bernardino Sun article: “West Nile season arrives”.

While outdoors, besides using insect repellant with DEET, you can best keep safe by avoiding dawn and dusk (the mosquito hours), as well as wearing light-colored clothing that covers the skin. Also, be sure to get rid of any standing water around your house.

From the article:

If you have questions or concerns, or if there is a significant mosquito problem where you live or you have standing water or green pools in your area, call San Bernardino County Vector Control Program at 800-44-ABATE (800-442-2283) or 909-388-4600. If you are in the cities of Chino, Chino Hills, Ontario, Montclair or Rancho Cucamonga, call (909) 635-0307 for West Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

You may also visit the county Web site at www.sbcounty.gov/dehs/vectorcontrol, or the California Health Services West Nile Web site at www.westnile.ca.gov for more information on Vector Control or West Nile virus.

To report dead birds, call the California Department of Health Services at 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473) or report on line at www.westnile.ca.gov.

Also, you can check out these fine links:

• CDC West Nile Virus Homepage
• West Nile virus at Wikipedia

The Press-Enterprise Daily News Digest blog had a note a couple of days ago, “Pacific Crest Trail in the San Jacinto Mountains to reopen Saturday”, which would have been yesterday. It was damaged during the Apache wildfire and closed in late April.

The release warned people to be careful in the area, particularly during storms, because it could be prone to rock slides and erosion, the release stated.

For information on trail conditions, call the Idyllwild Ranger Station at 909-382-2922.

The Daily Bulletin is reporting on a ceremony earlier today, recognizing the closing of five miles of gaps in the Santa Ana River Trail (SART): “New segments of Santa Ana River Trail finished”. Now the trail is complete between Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino and Norco city limits.

Work on the new portions of the trail began in late 2006, with construction getting under way in 2007. All the work was completed in December, but rains forced organizers to reschedule the grand opening to May.

Friday’s ceremony at Hidden Valley included a “ride-through” by members of the Riverside Bicycle Club and several equestrians from throughout the three participating counties.

It sounds pretty spiffy:

[The Hidden Valley Wildlife Area] portion of the trail required work on two parallel trails, one horse trail and an asphalt trail for cyclists, joggers and hikers. Both are about 10 feet wide, [Patricia Lock-Dawson, project strategist] said.

“It’s a beautiful section of trail, it’s really the jewel of the whole Santa Ana River Trail,” she said. “The experience is enhanced by the neighboring wetland complex and the views of the mountains. And it’s got no development.”

Thanks to the Press-Enterprise and Jennifer Bowles for yesterday’s story, “Public input sought on plan for preserve near Seven Oaks Dam”.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is narrowing down ways to protect endangered species living below the Seven Oaks Dam near Highland, and considering whether to truck water to a preserve area or build a dike to funnel water from the Santa Ana River.

The federal agency is holding a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in San Bernardino to get public input into ways to manage the 760-acre reserve for the San Bernardino kangaroo rat and two endangered flowers, the Santa Ana woolly star and the slender-horned spineflower, Megan Wong, an environmental coordinator with the Corps of Engineers, said Tuesday.

Details:

Thursday’s meeting will be held at the San Bernardino County Flood Control District, 825 E. Third St., San Bernardino.

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The City of Redlands Police Department website has a report on a coyote captured Saturday after stalking a child:

A young, diseased coyote was captured Saturday afternoon, May 10, in a Redlands neighborhood, one day after it was scared off as it reportedly stalked a small child.

Animal Control Supervisor Bill Miller used a tranquilizer dart to shoot the young female coyote, which was infected with mange, a parasitic skin infection most commonly found in dogs and other canines. He later confirmed it was the same animal seen stalking a 2-year-old child late Friday, May 9, in the area near San Mateo Street and Magnolia Avenue.

The coyote was scared off by the child’s grandfather and a neighbor, who got between the animal and the child and yelled to frighten it away.

It’s likely there are other, healthy coyotes in the area, so be on the lookout if you’re around there. Actually, pretty much anywhere in the IE, it seems like.

Not to be alarmist, of course: it’s just good to remember we’re not the only inhabitants of the region, no matter how much concrete and asphalt there is.

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More coyote attacks have been reported on children in the Inland Empire, including one on Tuesday in Lake Arrowhead. The LA Times has the info in “Fish and Game urges caution around coyotes after recent attacks”

San Bernardino County sheriff’s investigators said Melissa Rowley was taking pictures of her daughter and three other children in front of their home about 11:45 a.m.

When she went inside to put away the camera, a coyote ran up, grabbed Rowley’s 2-year-old daughter by the head and tried to drag her down the driveway.

When Rowley rushed the animal, it dropped the girl, who was airlifted to Loma Linda Medical Center and treated for cuts on her mouth and puncture wounds on her head and neck. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Cindy Beavers said the girl was expected to fully recover.

Unfortunately, the fate of these coyotes isn’t a happy one –

“In the past nine months, five children have been bitten in that area,” Morse said. “We have gone in there and killed 23 coyotes since December. We want to eliminate as many as possible because they represent a serious threat to safety. They are attacking children right next to their parents.”

Morse said hunters working for Fish and Game spotted a coyote near the area where the Lake Arrowhead attack occurred, but it wasn’t safe to shoot it.

Coyotes usually are trapped in snares and shot.

Two attacks, even if they are scary and sad, do not mean everybody needs to panic. But as always, be safe, keeping a sharp eye on your children and pets in danger areas.