WILDLIFE COMES CLOSER TO HOME HIGH TEMPS LEADING ANIMALS TO BACK YARDS.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

Most wildlife will try to beat the heat the same way humans do: limiting their movements and seeking shade and water.

And with scorching temperatures - as well as a mountain lion sighting in Valencia earlier this week - experts said homeowners should take precautions to keep from finding a bruin doing the backstroke in their backyard swimming pools.

``When it gets hotter, like it is now, animals are going to slow down and modify their activities to deal with the heat,'' said Troy Swauger, spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Game. ``They're going to have more of a need to seek out water.''

Seth Riley, a wildlife ecologist for the National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains, said that, so far this summer, park service officials haven't noticed any unusual animal behavior.

But Michael Chill, a wildlife rehabilitator with Wildwings of California of San Dimas, said homeowners can take a some precautions to make their homes less inviting to wildlife.

Among the tips are keeping pet food and water dishes indoors and limiting the use of sprinklers and hoses.

``They're going to be more attracted to areas that are irrigated,'' Chill said. ``They get thirstier and start coming a little closer. The more you water your lawns, the more runoff, and they're going to be attracted to the gutters.''

Riley agreed.

``The reason why you're going to have coyotes in your yard is because there's something tasty for them to eat: fruit or a cat or a small dog that's out at night,'' said Riley.

Lisa M. Sodders, [phone]

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

A wily coyote hunts for sustenance in the back yard of a Sherman Oaks home.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Special to the Daily News