West Seattle coyotes: Delridge photo; Camp Long event reminder

| Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to Angelique for sharing the photo of a coyote spotted in her neighbor’s yard near Delridge/Willow (map). Hard to tell from the photo, but from a video clip she also sent (see it here), it was seen in mid-meal, and the main course looked to Angelique like a raccoon.

The photo gives us another reason to remind you about Wednesday night’s event at Camp Long Environmental Learning Center – the first time in years that you have a chance to come learn (and ask) about coexisting with coyotes – safely for you and for them. Here’s the announcement again:

Living with Coyotes in Seattle

Coyotes live in our neighborhoods and we humans can learn to live with them. Camp Long and the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife team up to give tips and insight into co-existing safely with these wild dogs. Learn how they live and how humans can avoid and resolve conflict with them.

Camp Long Lodge
Wednesday, November 13th
7 PM to 8:30 PM
FREE

Camp Long’s entrance is at 5200 35th SW.

Bill November 12, 2013 (8:19 am)

They need to be exterminated.

Wylie November 12, 2013 (8:36 am)

Bill, it sounds like you are a good candidate for the meeting – please go and get informed.

Tina November 12, 2013 (9:56 am)

I kept meaning to tell WSB…. I saw a coyote Saturday night at Edmunds Street and Cottage Place (block off Delridge by Pearls). There is a small greenbelt through there. First time I’ve seen a Coyote in West Seattle.

Karen Sykes November 12, 2013 (10:16 am)

I plan to attend … I want to learn more about our “wild dogs”. As a person who has had mountain goats come up to me in the mountains and lick the sweat off my hands/arms I have no argument co-existing with coyotes in urban areas. Keep your pets inside and live and let live. I’ll never forget the coyote I saw in the golf course a couple of years that wanted to play (I held back though I wanted to play too!).

Ex-Westwood Resident November 12, 2013 (10:26 am)

The problem isn’t with all the coyotes, just those that have lost their “fear” of humans. Those are the ones that need to be culled as they represent the greatest danger to humans and pets.

Ted November 12, 2013 (10:46 am)

I didn’t know coyotes ate raccoons, if they do I think we need MORE of them, not less.

WSB November 12, 2013 (10:59 am)

Yes, they do. If you watch the video, it does not appear the coyote’s dinner was a recent kill, so, hard to tell if it was the killer or just an opportunist. They also eat rats/mice, it’s been pointed out, as well as berries, nuts, etc.

Chicaboo November 12, 2013 (12:01 pm)

The coyote didn’t kill the raccoon, it has been back there for a couple weeks. It’s a huge one and I really don’t know what to do about it. I know it stinks and I wish the coyote would have dragged it off. As soon as the coyote saw me it bolted off. So it did have a fear/awareness of me.

T Rex November 12, 2013 (1:42 pm)

I have had them on my property on occasion, one year they built a den right below my house. You may see only one, but understand there may be another that you cannot see. They are afraid of humans, but they are also WILD animals that will protect their food and their young no matter what.

Chicaboo,you may have scared him away from the raccoon from a distance, but if you had come across him at ground level, it could have been a different outcome. Be careful out there!

Mdlg November 12, 2013 (2:08 pm)

I have lived in West Seattle for 5 years, and had never seen a coyote until the last two weeks. I had two separate sightings in the middle of the day in the 4300 and 4400 blocks of SW Southern St. They really didn’t seem too scared of me (even had my 55 lb border collie with me) until I yelled at them, and then they finally trotted off.

jackspara November 12, 2013 (2:30 pm)

I can hear them at night, “hear kitty kitty, hear little doggiem, I say let ’em all in, the bear, the wolf, the ?….they were here first!…anyone for rabbies….

boy November 12, 2013 (5:20 pm)

If I catch a coyote in my chicken coop, do I have the right to eliminate it?

datamuse November 12, 2013 (5:46 pm)

I’ve lived in West Seattle since the late 90s and saw my first coyote oh, I’d guess around 2002 or so. They’ve been here quite awhile.

Jackspara, one reason we have so many coyotes is the lack of wolves. That’s ecology for you…

Fed up November 12, 2013 (5:56 pm)

Not wanting to sound as heartless as Bill up there, but I believe something needs to be done about these coyotes. Be it trapping or relocating them.
I’ve spent most of my life living by the greenbelt located in arbor heights and these coyotes are nothing new to the area. Fishing and Wildlife had kept the population under control until 4 years ago when funding was cut. Since then, the numbers have easily tripled. At night, when sirens sound off, you can hear the howls and the yips of an entire pack. Some nights it’s only 2 or 3, others it could be utmost of 30.
Like many other families on my street I lost a pet to them. Granted he was an outdoor cat, my own fault for allowing him to be. I’ve had neighbor’s dogs (yes, dogs.) and cats killed in their yards, ripped apart. The lucky ones were left without a trace.
These coyotes are also becoming unafraid of humans. After coming into close contact with at least 5 on different occasions only 1 was scared when I stomped and yelled at it. One actually lowered it’s head and made a strange hiss/bark noise at me.
The only way something will be done about this is when someone gets hurt, unfortunately.
You bet I’ll be at this meeting tomorrow and I don’t plan on ‘co-existing’.

let them swim November 12, 2013 (6:34 pm)

I’m with Bill. Coyotes have no predators, except for man, in the city. W.S. golf course use to have Red Foxes running around. Matter of fact –all of W.S. had them. Now, not a one has been seen at the Golf Course for yrs.( if not decades). Coyotes came in and killed the foxes, along with your dogs and cats. Something needs to be done about the Coyotes. Time to get rid of them period.

Gatewooder November 12, 2013 (10:33 pm)

That is true about the foxes disappearing after the coyotes showed up. Foxes are better rodent killers, so the argument that coyotes somehow help with pest control doesn’t compute when compared to the alternative. And foxes are too small to mess with dogs or cats.

Harmony November 13, 2013 (8:36 am)

Ive seen a lone one in broad daylight on the sidewalk on two different occasions on beach drive and on 48th near Loehman beach. Luckily I was in my car.

Sorry, comment time is over.