Two orphaned coyote cubs cared for by San Diego Humane Society head to Virginia

Two orphaned coyote pups rescued from Riverside and Los Angles counties earlier this year are now living at the Virginia Living Museum after San Diego Humane Society staff determined they could not safely return to the wild.

The pups were taken in this spring at the Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.

The first pup, a female, was found under a deck in Palm Desert when she was just two days old. A well-intentioned rescuer bottle-fed her for two weeks before bringing her to the SDHS in April. By then, she had already bonded too closely with humans, officials said.

The second pup, a male, was rescued from the Long Beach area in May. He arrived with his eyes still closed and required bottle feeding from Project Wildlife staff until he was large enough to be placed with other coyote pups, an SDHS statement read. As the pup grew, staff “noticed how frequently he approached caretakers and would run up to the fence-line for attention after moving to the outdoor habitat.”

When wild animals lose their natural fear of humans, they cannot safely survive on their own in the wild. Project Wildlife’s animal care team attempted to “wild up” the animals, but it was too late to change the imprint humans had on the pups.

“Helping orphaned wild animals return to nature is always our goal, but sometimes the kindest outcome is providing them with a permanent home where they can thrive,” said Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at SDHS. “These two pups will continue to inspire people to respect and protect wildlife.”

After care at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, it became clear the pups could not be released into the wild. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife found placement at the Virginia Living Museum to “ensure they will have lifelong care in a safe and enriching environment, while also serving as ambassadors to teach the public about wildlife,” the statement read.

SDHS staff brought the coyotes to Los Angeles International Airport, where they were met by an escort from the museum, who accompanied them aboard a FedEx flight to Virginia.

“The Virginia Living Museum is thrilled to be working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife program to provide these two young coyotes a forever home,” a statement from the museum read. “As ambassadors for coyotes in the wild, these pups will play an important role in educating our guests about coexisting with wildlife in their state, their community and their own backyard.”

The Humane Society reminded the public that the best way to help wildlife is to leave young animals where they are found and seek professional guidance, since many wild mothers leave their young alone for extended periods.