A coyote begs by one of several cars stopped on Highway 267 in Death Valley.

National parks require pets to be on leash mostly to protect the local wildlife, but where coyotes roam, it's the pets that need the protection. As they have in many expanding suburbs, coyotes in national parks have become so accustomed to people that they often forage in plain view.

If left tethered to an RV in a campground, cats and small dogs are easy prey for these quick, powerful predators. One ranger at Death Valley National Park almost lost his cat when a coyote grabbed it by his residence. He chased the animal, which dropped the cat and ran off before inflicting serious injuries.

Even on leash a cat or small dog can become a meal. The same ranger tells of a man who was walking his poodle near the Death Valley’s Furnace Creek campground several years ago when a coyote suddenly charged out from some brush, snatched the dog and retreated, yanking the leash out of the man's hand.

No trace was found of either dog or leash.

People themselves are partly to blame for the irony that pets are more vulnerable around frequented campgrounds than in seldom-visited ones way out in the boondocks, where wild animals live in greater numbers and variety. By feeding wildlife near campgrounds and leaving garbage unsealed, people encourage highly adaptable animals like coyotes to associate humans with food. Visitors driving in the north end of Death Valley, near Scotty's Castle and the Mesquite Spring Campground, often spot a coyote in plain view by roadside, waiting patiently for the next handout.

A prankster added the nose bulb to this sign in Death Valley.

So in national park campgrounds--or even in outlying suburbs--never leave a small pet unattended. Keep the leash short when walking by potential hideouts, and don't create pests of any wildlife by feeding them.