WEST SEATTLE COYOTES: 2 sightings

Two reader reports of coyote sightings in West Seattle:

GATEWOOD: The photo is from Joe, who reports:

Thought I would share a recent coyote sighting in the Gatewood neighborhood (40th SW & Morgan St.) This was from Wed. night 5/1 @ 11:28 PM. This is actually the second sighting at the same location in less than a week, FWIW.

THE JUNCTION: This report is from Shaunte G:

Saw coyote run down 42nd from Edmunds headed south at 10:15 pm. I was walking my two chihuahuas and had to tell him off us, as he tried hiding behind a car waiting for us to walk by and then tried to position himself behind us. Informed others walking their dogs as well, since he seemed fairly bold.

We share coyote sightings for awareness, not alarm. And for education – find out what to do if you encounter one by reading the state’s fact sheet.

wsgal May 3, 2024 (8:37 am)

I appreciate these updates, had wondered if there were any recent sightings.

Kersti Muul May 4, 2024 (8:04 am)

Coyotes are ubiquitous. Lack of siblings reports has no correlation. Many people just don’t report here.

Edward May 3, 2024 (8:44 am)

I spotted one heading westbound on SW Brandon St, crossing Delridge on Thursday morning. presumably heading to the golf course.

zark00 May 3, 2024 (10:35 am)

People often mistake this spring-time escorting behavior for aggression – it is not. These are coyotes with pups, or about to have pups, that are simply monitoring their territory. They’re just escorting you away from their den site, and human beings confuse it with stalking or hunting behavior like Shaunte G did in her comments. We humans assume the coyotes is stalking our small pets; that is absolutely not happening in any way. Coyotes do not hunt that way. The comment ‘he tried hiding behind a car waiting for us to walk by and then tried to position himself behind us’ is completely imagined by that person – that’s not at all what was happening. Coyotes are very small, the ones in our area are around 25lbs. You average corgi is a more dangerous animal that your average coyote. They are opportunistic hunters, and they will snag a cat sleeping on a porch, or a tiny dog they can outrun, but never, ever, in a million years, with a human present – they will never attempt to even challenge prey bigger than them, ever. They prefer mice, rats gophers, that kind of stuff, over anyone’s pets. WSB, that comment really should be removed, or at least put some context around it – that it’s a mistaken assumption, and assuming the coyote is being aggressive toward humans puts the coyote at risk from humans who misunderstand that it’s harmless.

Mike May 3, 2024 (10:55 am)

Send them further north, to our neighborhood off Admiral, above T-5. We are overrun with rabbits.
- zark00 May 3, 2024 (11:28 am)
  
  Have you seen a TON of baby bunnies the last couple weeks? I’ve seen at least a dozen in our and neighbors yards, they’re multiplying!!! They’re so damn cute though.
Oh, please May 3, 2024 (11:48 am)

Remove the person’s comment? What, are you a FB “fact” checker? “The average corgi is more dangerous than the average coyote.” Oh, brother. You first.
Shaunte G May 3, 2024 (12:17 pm)

Thank you for your response and giving some insight into animal behavior. I have experience coyotes in WS before, having lived in WS 40+ years and this was not the same experience I have had in the past. I believe calling my experience ignorant is rude and assumptive. I was not trying to scare anyone or cause danger to coyote. I also didn’t say he was interested in me but he eyeing my dogs. He was also within 6ft and did advance. Although I omitted this originally,because I did not want to create fear about my encounter. And no I was not afraid but did have to stand my ground and make sure he was not at my back any longer. Seeing as he was on 42nd just south of Safeway on a block with two large construction sights and a large rabbit (one of my dogs being of similar color and size to a rabbit, could have also created confusion) population, I would be hard pressed to believe he was leading me away from his den.I do see that you have some experience of your own and info to share with the community. But it is also dangerous to assume you know someone else’s experiences and to want it omitted based on your experience. I was just trying to share observations that were out of the ordinary of behavior I have personally experienced with our neighbors wildlife.And if the auditor felt then or now that it needs to not be added or removed in the future he is welcome to do so. There was no need of you to personally call me out.
- Jethro Marx May 3, 2024 (6:42 pm)
  
  I am sure I am not the only one who appreciated your telling of the encounter. It is, after all, a wild animal living in the city.
Alki resident May 3, 2024 (1:28 pm)

Thank you for the insight. I for one appreciate it. Context around behaviours that might seem threatening to us or aggressive helps in understanding and reacting proportionately, and protects the wildlife that we coexist with.

bloo May 3, 2024 (1:50 pm)

Coyotes have attacked small children in California, and regularly attack deer and other prey larger than them on the east coast. I have no idea what you are talking about, ZARK00, Perhaps a little humility and respect for other peoples’ experiences wouldn’t go amiss with you.

zark00 May 10, 2024 (10:46 am)

a 2 year old was attacked in woodland hills in 2022, that what you’re pretending is some rampant string of California coyote attacks? ~140 coyote attacks a year – in ALL of North America. No fatalities. If you knew anything, you’d know that coyotes can’t take down a deer, they can run it until it drops from exhaustion then kill it. They never, ever, in recorded history, have pack-hunted a deer and taken it down you’re making believe they do. They are not wolves, and people like you who can’t be bothered to differentiate them are a problem. Simple fact, they’re not very dangerous, and people who fear monger them, like you’re doing now, get them killed. Try not to be such an animal hater. We like nature around here, we don’t appreciate people like you putting our wildlife in danger because YOU lack knowledge and operate from a position of paranoia, fear and ignorance. “There are only two known fatalities EVER. In 1981 in California, a 3 year-old girl was attacked and killed by a rabid coyote when she was playing unattended in her front yard. In 2009 singer Taylor Mitchell was killed in a coyote attack in Canada. “Her death is the only known fatal coyote attack on an adult as well as the only known fatal coyote attack on a human in Canada.” Mitchell was killed by two Coywolves – coyote / wolf crossbreed that is far larger and far more dangerous than coyotes.

Alberto May 4, 2024 (3:17 am)

I much prefer coyotes over rats and rabbits…and over those few dogs that have shown signs of aggression towards me.

Alaska Junction May 4, 2024 (9:49 pm)

Husband saw one tonight at about 9:30pm on 45th and Edmunds.

Karon May 10, 2024 (5:54 am)

In Renton/Lake Washington: We heard what sounded like a small dog being attacked late Tuesday night accompanied by what kinda sounded like howling. Then last night around 10p we heard the distinct howling of a coyote in the very same spot. Our (big) dog barked like crazy along with other dogs in the complex and the howling stopped. Obviously there’s a problem brewing.

Sorry, comment time is over.