Two new coyote sightings, and another “coexistence” chat

coyote2.jpg

(Photo of the one and only coyote sighted so far near WSB HQ, from April 2007)
It’s been a while since anyone’s e-mailed about coyote sightings. In the past 24-ish hours, though, we’ve received word of two, and that also provides a reason for a reminder about the citywide “coexisting with coyotes” forum next week. First, the sightings. Dale reports one early Friday morning “on the hill over Thriftway“:

They looked comfortable and well-fed, and our cat came home later. So all is good. They seem to like our pond. We’re a few blocks north of 39th SW ravine, (6700 block of 39th SW; map), and have a heavily wooded yard, as do our neighbors. Main point of the post is to let people with outdoor cats know, so they can respond accordingly.


Then from northern West Seattle, Burke e-mailed tonight: “Just met a coyote racing across the lower end of Fairmount. Looked like he had been pretty well spooked by something.” (Burke also mentioned seeing “the otter that finds it convenient to poop in the swimming pool at Harbor Park Condo. Just saw him ‘loping’ across the parking lot concealing himself under the parked cars as he went.”) Now, about that “coexistence” forum with info helpful for anyone in Seattle: It’s planned for Tuesday night at the Pritchard Beach Bathhouse in Rainier Beach (city news release here; map here). We covered the last one, in February in Magnolia (WSB article here).

16 Replies to "Two new coyote sightings, and another "coexistence" chat"

  • Rick July 5, 2008 (11:34 pm)

    Once again, it’s “their” backyards we’re in, not them in “ours”. Whatever your philosophy may be on this issue, nature can be rather persistent. If you love your critters, keep and feed ’em inside or on a leash outside. Yeah, I know, it’s only the law but darn it,I know, I paid a lot for that townhouse and the city should take care of this but sarcasm aside, Skippy will prefer not to be snack food. At least I don’t think so.

  • grr July 5, 2008 (11:48 pm)

    It’s amazing to me that these beautiful animals co-exist at all with US in our cramped, over-crowded WS neighborhoods. How they find enough food is beyond me. And how they manage NOT to end up as road kill is even more amazing.

    I love that they’re here…but there is a part of me that wonders if it wouldn’t be better for -THEM- to humanely trap them, and relocate them somewhere far away from humans, cars, roads, etc.

  • Jiggers July 6, 2008 (1:58 am)

    Leave the damm animals alone for christ sakes.

  • Rick July 6, 2008 (8:44 am)

    Maybe we’re the ones who should be trapped and relocated. I hear Mars can sustain life.

  • WW July 6, 2008 (9:46 am)

    I agree! Has anyone seen the injured one lately?

  • grr July 6, 2008 (9:50 am)

    I wouldn’t mind trapping a few people and relocating them :)

    ease up jiggers. I’m NOT one of them ‘kill the damn things’ people..sheeeeeesh.

    fwiw..I’m an avid animal lover. (ok…I ain’t THAT fond of cats, but I don’t think they’re really supposed to be part of the food chain). And I certainly wouldn’t want my dogs to be food either.

    I feel a lot of sympathy for these coyotes, and a lot of concern for their safety and well-being. I just think that MAYBE something could be done to give them a better life. They are running out of habitat in the city. They’re nomads that have a wide roaming territory, and they’re losing that.

    I saw one a few weeks ago around midnight (coming up california one night). I slowed down as I saw it cross the street in front of me. It just stopped looked at me :) Very cool.

  • Anna July 6, 2008 (10:29 am)

    Three weeks ago I was walking east up Othello, had just crossed California when I looked up and a coyote was trotting down the sidewalk headed straight for me about 100 feet away. I stopped and got my camera out, trying to get a picture of him, but as soon as he saw my camera he headed north up a hill into someone’s overgrown yard and I lost him. Didn’t report it since I didn’t have a picture, but it was still very cool.

  • Rick July 6, 2008 (12:49 pm)

    A hunnert or so years ago back in Kansas we used to get a buck an ear for ’em as varmints because they threatened a way of feeding our family. I don’t see that being the case here. Seems everybody wants to be eco-green-sustainable-enviro-recycle-bio-global warming-and all that but I think this is something that we should pay attention to. Not obliterate for convenience. Yeah, they can scare folks but they’re not a problem unless you help to create it.

  • John July 7, 2008 (10:55 am)

    How about the raccoons? I’ve seen a lot lately about the coyotes attacking cats here, but about a week ago a raccoon (or probably 2) took a fair amount of cat fur out of some neighbors cat just after sundown (10pm or so). We were out on our deck and heard a nasty fight and screech and the cat went from one side of our yard around the house to the other side and down the street. The next morning we found several locks of cat hair and a few days later we saw 2 very large raccoons on top of a neighbors shed, and finally later that day figured out they’ve been living in a tree at the corner of our property. Shocked our koi fish are still around.

    Any guesses as to whether it’s the coyotes or the raccoons taking out more cats? Also, do the raccoons also eat rats (a big problem where we’re at). If they’re eating rats that’s ok – although I was a bit concerned at just how large these coons were.

  • JoAnne July 7, 2008 (6:08 pm)

    I can assure you as a 3rd generation West Seattleite that coyotes are NOT native to this area and never have been. The area was inhabited by grey wolves and bears, but not coyotes.

    The coyote is a dangerous pest species, and because its populations are exploding, it is invading many urban areas across the country. As the populations grow, the need for food will eventually translate to attacks on larger prey–first bigger pets (dogs in addition to cats), and then on people (small children).

    It is naive to want them here, and a lot like saying rats are cute and we should let them infest our houses because they were here first. Except they were not here first.

  • Jerald July 7, 2008 (6:57 pm)

    I second JoAnne’s opinions. The coyote is not native to Western Washington. I don’t believe in killing them outright, but think some kind of control will be necessary. It’s a problem in other areas of the country.

    And yes, raccoons do kill rats! I’ve seen the gory corpses at a friend’s house, with only the tastiest parts missing, I guess. (Yes, my friend feeds raccoons, I’m sorry to say.)

  • Rick July 7, 2008 (9:29 pm)

    As a third generation (guess that gives me rights ) West Seattleite ya’ll are makin’ me want to move back to Kansas where ya listen to the corn grow! And yes, we kill coyotes

  • Kiwi July 20, 2008 (2:38 pm)

    saw a skinny coyote walking along the roadside exiting a yard on SW Lander/37th went down Fairmont and into the trees. July 17th,2008 12:41am

  • MK July 24, 2008 (8:07 am)

    Racoons killed and ate our neighbors’ cat. They found what was left and racoon tracks.

  • Alex August 9, 2008 (8:06 am)

    I came home very late last night, 3-ish, and I saw one of these coyotes walking around. We live at about 47th and Othello, near the 76 Station. When I pulled up the stop sign he retreated back into that dead end area, with Ledroit and Wright avenue and such. I tried to get a picture of him on my cell phone, but the memory was conveniently full and he was walking away.

  • Resha September 3, 2008 (8:25 pm)

    Pardon the intrusion— I live across the bridge on Beacon– but damn! I just came inside after
    hearing a cayote ‘kill’ in my back yard. Didn’t dare go in the woods but I could hear at least
    three distinct howls. My cat isn’t in yet, either.
    I’m torn between trying to find new homes for
    my cats who just will not be ‘inside’ cats or
    letting them roam to a pretty certain fate. I’m
    leaning toward the latter because they’ll have
    a great, if short existance here.

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