Three coyotes were sighted on campus on the night of Tuesday, Jan. 30 by campus police officers.

Michael Trevis, chief of the campus police department, said the police received a call late at night from a custodian who saw a coyote.

Once the officer arrived at the construction technical area, he saw the coyote and followed it to Murdock Stadium, where it was joined by two more coyotes, Trevis said.

All three coyotes were seen running towards Alondra Park, he added, which is adjacent to the El Camino campus.

A campus advisory notice went out the next day on Wednesday, Jan. 31 detailing the incident.

Marc Stevens, director of public information and government relations, confirmed that the coyote was first seen near the Communications Building.

There are varying explanations for why the coyotes roamed near campus.

“They’re after the cats on campus,” Dick McGreevy, founder of the Vegan Club on campus, said. “As far as I’m concerned, they live here, but people have pets and coyotes will go after the pets.”

As for a solution, answers vary.

“I don’t know if there’s a solution for it, McGreevy said. “They could trap them, but they’re pretty smart. They don’t trap easily.”

Since the sighting, the Facilities and Planning Services Division have begun the acquisition and installation of solar powered flashing lights meant to deter coyotes from wandering onto campus, Debbie Turano, who works in the Facilities Planning and Services Division, said.

The lights, which are made by Nite Guard, will be installed around the perimeter of campus, Turano said, “They have a flashing red light that will keep the coyotes off campus.”

Installation has not yet begun.

Correction: Thursday, March 1, 11: 50 a.m., Michael Trevis’s title was misnamed. He is the chief of police for the campus police department. The Union regrets these errors.