West Seattle coyotes – and other urban wildlife – on Highland Park Action Committee agenda Wednesday night

(Video sent by Bob Mohr, recorded by son Jack, in Genesee Hill around sunset Monday, between 55th/54th/Genesee/Dakota)
While that short clip of a coyote on the run in a West Seattle neighborhood – watch the sidewalk at :25 and :40 – isn’t from Highland Park, that neighborhood’s plan to talk about coyotes and other urban wildlife tomorrow night would seem to be of interest to all. A federal wildlife biologist is on the Highland Park Action Committee‘s agenda, 7 pm Wednesday at HP Improvement Club (12th/Holden), and all are welcome. Also on the agenda: The proposed Duwamish River cleanup plan, and why, with a month left for public comment, it should matter to you.

12 Replies to "West Seattle coyotes - and other urban wildlife - on Highland Park Action Committee agenda Wednesday night"

  • Kip April 23, 2013 (6:49 pm)

    Kudos to out West Seattle Coyote trackers ;) love the commentary.

  • jwws April 23, 2013 (7:03 pm)

    OMG, he ran right by our house!!!!

  • lindy April 23, 2013 (7:17 pm)

    I live about 2 blocks from this area and we believe a coyote attacked my neighbor’s cat. The cat survived, but her tail needed to be amputated and she is very traumatized. Keep your cats safe!

  • mehud7 April 23, 2013 (7:52 pm)

    Coyote trackers? Seem like coyote harassers to me.

  • jwws April 23, 2013 (7:59 pm)

    And FWIW, the clip is 54th up Dakota to 55th and down to Andover almost and back. Too cool!

  • grew up in Fauntleroy April 23, 2013 (8:59 pm)

    I second the motion.

  • Rarejem April 24, 2013 (3:21 am)

    We have coyotes in the Schmitz Park Elem School area as well. They’ve been seen running down the street. We believe they are in Schmitz Park as they have been seen running towards it.

  • phil dirt April 24, 2013 (8:06 am)

    My neighborhood has become overrun with coyotes and raccoons. I saw a coyote, yesterday in my alley, that appeared to be rabid. It was frothing at the mouth.

  • tj April 24, 2013 (11:24 am)

    I imagine the wildlife biologist will bring this up, but a quick google search for “urban coyote diet” brings up some good info based on scat research. Check out this link for example: http://www.urbancoyoteresearch.com/About_Coyotes.htm
    Rodents make up the majority of urban coyotes’ diets. In the study cited above, pets constituted 1% of their diet. (That doesn’t mean they won’t threaten a dog territorially, just that they don’t typically eat dogs and cats.)

    Feeding your pets indoors, and strictly keeping your cats indoors goes a long way in protecting them (and our wild birds). Leftover pet food attracts all kinds of wildlife from rodents to raccoons to coyotes.

  • cj April 24, 2013 (2:54 pm)

    I have no problems with local wild life. I see way more unleashed dogs with irresponsible owners. Not once in my 12 years here have I actually seen a coyote so I have to wonder how this was set up. Also I do remember seeing some rats in years past as big as an adult house cat. I would rather have the coyotes than the rats thank you. I certainly do not want to see a pack of humans playing out their hunter instinct on whats left of our local wildlife.

    • WSB April 24, 2013 (3:14 pm)

      CJ et al – Bob and son Jack spotted the coyote. No “set up.” I have only seen one outside our house once too in all these years and the impulse was the same at the time – to go see what it was up to. At a distance. (In our case, Patrick went on foot. This time of year, five years ago: https://westseattleblog.com/2008/04/finally-a-coyote-sighting-at-wsb-hq ) Like Bob and Jack, there’s a greenbelt near our house too – though as we’ve shown in hundreds of coyote sightings reported here over the years, they are sighted far from greenbelts too. We have always evangelized education in hopes it will make coexistence easier, since that’s really our, and their, only option – hope that anyone interested will come to tonight’s Highland Park meeting, because the information will be applicable ANYWHERE – TR

  • Mia Wallace April 24, 2013 (5:22 pm)

    I want to see a West Seattle battle between: Coyotes and raccoons.

    The winner of that battle will face off against: un-leashed dogs.

    The winner of that battle will check in with WSBlog and ask for a posting of the results.

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