West Seattle coyotes: Two sightings in the sunshine

| Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Two sightings from Saturday, one with photos. First, from Karen in Arbor Heights:

This was taken in front of my neighbor’s house on 98th Ave SW between 37th & 39th (our backyards border Fauntleroy Park). This was my (indoor cat’s) first sighting of the year but normally we have a lot around here starting in October. I assume the warmer weather kept them away?

This coyote had black & gray fur but as you can see, they have lost (molted?) most of it so it must be freezing. At one point, he/she looked like a sweet fawn but I the doubt dog walkers thought that.

People stop & always are surprised they come out during the day. I see them head into the woods at night but I normally see them galloping all over the neighborhood during the day.

Hopefully, the family of seven raccoons living in my storm water drain stays safe (swimming in my community pool).

I have a virtual varmint zoo growing out of my backyard.

She said the coyote showed up around 1 pm on Saturday.

Via text, we received a report a few hours after that: “Very sick, mangy-looking coyote walking west on Thistle near 35th. Just now, very brave, must be desperate for food or warmth.”

Here again is the state’s info-sheet about coyotes and co-existing with them. Our online research suggests the fur problem would be more likely mange than molting, as the latter generally involves shedding winter coats when the weather warms up.

mrsMarty November 22, 2015 (10:16 am)

Oh I feel so bad for that coyote it looks terrible, it must be freezing without any fur. :>(
I doubt it’ll make it thru the winter where will it go to keep warm?

I keep my kitties in, never do they go out and I know some people would like to see them (coyotes) to be out of here but how can you not feel bad for this animal?

Enid November 22, 2015 (11:04 am)

Definitely looks like mange. Poor thing. Can’t tell for sure from the photo, but it looks like it could be a mom?

Mr Colby November 22, 2015 (11:21 am)

That is not a coyote. That is the wily West Seattle chupacabra.

BLB November 22, 2015 (12:11 pm)

What @Mr Colby said. That’s a Chupacabra.

Kravitz November 22, 2015 (12:13 pm)

That is very sad, that coyote looks miserable. Is there any sort of wildlife rehabilitation organization that could possibly trap it (maybe easy if it’s looking for food?) and at least humanely euthanize it if it’s as ill as it looks? Or, better result – rehabilitate it and release it back into the wild somewhere where the habitat is a little more rural? Poor thing. :(

westseattledood November 22, 2015 (2:05 pm)

Mange is very common in coyotes, in part because it is very contagious. The skin mites are passed from mother to pups.

If anybody wants to know whether PAWS Wildlife Center in Lynnwood will capture and/or treat coyotes with evidence of mange, or any other questions reqarding the health of any wild animal,please call

PAWS Wildlife Center at 425 412-4040.

unknown November 22, 2015 (3:33 pm)

Another reason because this coyote looks to have mange and to keep pets inside or on a leash:
Transmission of mange
Mange mites transfer from animal to animal through physical contact first. In litters of puppies, the mites are transferred by the mother’s tongue as she grooms her babies. Mites can also move to other hosts through shared bedding and homes, and even through a shared environment. They can live on walls, in grass and on tree trunks or flower stems for a short time, while they look for a new host.

Cryan November 22, 2015 (7:10 pm)

What can be done about my upstairs neighbor who leaves cat food outside all day for her outside cat? It attracts raccoons (almost daily) and she refuses to do anything about it.

reapit November 22, 2015 (9:14 pm)

Maybe it’s time to reconsider the i713 law that was passed in 2000. I bet sarcoptic mange was much less prevelent prior to passing this law.

chemist November 23, 2015 (9:29 am)

Cryan, for $41 you can get a trapping permit and put out raccoon traps from Nov-March.

wb November 23, 2015 (6:38 pm)

My heart goes out to this animal in pain especially on this rainy night. Please call Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at (425) 775-1311 if you see it again.

reapit November 23, 2015 (8:23 pm)

Wdfw doesn’t do anything about mangy coyotes. Until this dog goes for a human.

KBear November 23, 2015 (11:29 pm)

If your cat can’t even be fed indoors, it’s not even a pet. Fair game for coyotes.

Athena Byrd November 30, 2015 (10:03 pm)

I just heard a coyote attempting to kill a raccoon next door. I’ve never heard anything like it. The attacker (coyote) snorting and growling and the raccoon screaming. I live at 34th Ave. SW and Morgan, a densely populated area. Where are these coyotes coming from all of a sudden?

WSB November 30, 2015 (10:20 pm)

They live everywhere, not just in greenbelts. Generally, though, they keep their distance, and that’s the reason for the advice to scare them away – “haze” them as the experts say – if you do hapen to see one. Did you actually see the coyote? I’ve heard raccoon fights that sound like that, no coyotes involved. – TR

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