WILDLIFE: West Seattle coyotes – recent reader reports

Stefanie sent that photo after seeing that coyote – squirrel in mouth – running across 35th and down Juneau in mid-June. We’ve been publishing coyote sightings for a decade and a half, often one-offs, but this time we have several in queue, to perhaps provide better context of how they’re living around and among us. This is important for pet owners to realize, since in addition to eating small wildlife like the squirrel in the photo, rats, and more, unattended domestic animals can be part of their diet too. Other sightings, minus prey, included this one texted a few days ago:

Not a great shot but we saw a lone coyote scampering around 37th and Henderson … Public service announcement.

Also via text, sent Monday:

There was one in Sunrise Park in the High Point neighborhood around 6:30 am … We have many outdoor cats in the area that I worry about. Looks to have headed into the ravine toward Delridge.

Early morning is a common sighting time. Aaron saw one this morning:

I was not able to snag a picture, but we just saw a coyote trotting up Frontenac and then head south on 39th in Gatewood. Have appreciated the community sharing updates on locations but this was the first time we’d seen one out and about.

Also in Gatewood, Pam reported a sighting last Friday:

For the second time in the last two weeks (?) I saw a leggy coyote heading down the alley between California and 41st, this morning, it was moving fast and carrying a critter. I sure hope it was a rabbit … might be worth letting everyone know that there’s a hunter around and to keep an eye on their pets. Here’s a good source on keeping our four-legged smalls safe.

They can travel a lot of ground, too – Terris observed this one a little over a week ago:

Coyote spotted coming across the Oregon hill (23rd/22nd, whatever we call that road) from Delridge up to Puget Ridge. It crossed the intersection where 23rd branches off and ran up by the houses on the east side of the hill along on the retaining wall. Please keep your pets safe.

As noted in the FAQ Pam shared, as well as many infosheets (like this one) that we’ve shared over the years, avoiding feeding coyotes – intentionally or unintentionally – is the best way to avoid you and/or your pet coming into close contact with them.

35 Replies to "WILDLIFE: West Seattle coyotes - recent reader reports"

  • Derp July 2, 2024 (6:15 pm)

    At the west Seattle golf course on
    Sunday

    • Sage K. July 3, 2024 (12:55 am)

      I think there is a den in Camp Long and another one in the Longfellow Creek Ravine between Juneau and Brandon (Greg Davis Park).Traditionally they haven’t denned this far east of 35th.

  • WS Res July 2, 2024 (7:54 pm)

    Please keep your cats inside, for the good of the birds and for their own safety.

    • KM July 2, 2024 (9:13 pm)

      100%

  • Tina B July 2, 2024 (7:55 pm)

    That’s quite a few of thos coyotes; they’re mighty thin, too; except for the one going up the back of the ridge. He looked mighty healthy, and he had some very big feet. The photos caught most of them in motion, however, the one really looked like it had been caught mid- shift, if you buy into that type of thing. . .?Seriously though, it looks like they’re thriving.  I wonder how the squirrel population is faring? I’ll have to check in with my sister and see if she has noticed. ( pretty sure pop will know. Right dad?)

    • Sage K. July 3, 2024 (12:58 am)

      Live off of Longfellow Creek and the last few years the raccoon population has been really low. Normally our garbage cans get swarmed during baby season, with lots of chittering and sibling fights.I think the coyotes have been thinning the population. They might not take on a full grown raccoon, but the babies are the right size for them.

      • Jay July 5, 2024 (6:25 am)

        Raccoons definitely down. My sister has sporadically seen Coyotes off Delridge @ Myrtle.  But recently had a family of 3 bunnies move onto our property 🙀🙏🏼

  • Ivan Weiss July 2, 2024 (8:02 pm)

    It could always be worse. Visualize, if you will, hyenas. :-)

    • Thomas July 3, 2024 (7:04 pm)

      I’d rather deal with a few coyotes Then rats and rabbits and squirrels.Don’t know where it came from.but we have a opossum in our neighborhood. Seems they love to dine on rats.And that’s fine with me

  • Bradley July 2, 2024 (10:59 pm)

    We’ve seen 2 cats mutilated in the last few weeks on Genessee hill. Lots of food running around the neighborhood 

  • Rick July 2, 2024 (11:02 pm)

    Heck, back in Kansas we used to get 2 bucks an ear for ’em. Remember grandpa gettin’ pissed after using a bullet on one with only one ear.  Different times.

  • Dale July 3, 2024 (1:07 am)

    3 coyotes At WS Golf Course

  • Dmartin July 3, 2024 (5:55 am)

    Growing up I saw them all the time in very early morning, and a couple of decades later, they just disappeared. Now I see them in the middle of the afternoon. Where did they go,  and how did the come back?

  • OneTimeCharley July 3, 2024 (6:07 am)

    I think they’re lovely. I too have seen fewer racoons the last few years in the area around the Longfellow creek headwaters. I also recall that the coyote sightings all across West Seattle dropped to near zero for a few years there. I wonder if there is historically an inverse relationship to their population numbers?

  • waikikigirl July 3, 2024 (6:36 am)

    They go/stay where there is plenty of food and these sightings they’ve looked pretty healthy, not mangey like in previous years. Please keep your kitties inside I know it’s difficult especially if they’ve been outdoor cats all their lives but as you see from these pictures the coyotes don’t just hunt in darkness.

  • Watertowerjim July 3, 2024 (6:48 am)

    Come to our neighborhood, we have way too many squirrels!  Running out of pellets.  

  • Gene July 3, 2024 (8:04 am)

    Not too surprising given the crazy number of rabbits all over the city. There were times in the past when specific parks had a temporary rabbit problem, but lately they’re everywhere. So more food means more coyotes.

  • snowskier July 3, 2024 (8:07 am)

    Lots of bunnies down in Fauntleroy and Arbor Heights.  Maybe they’ll make their way down to the Fauntleroy Creek park.  It’s pretty cool that we have habitat spread throughout where they can thrive.

  • tired of dad July 3, 2024 (9:46 am)

    my father knows about the coyotes in the neighborhood but refuses to
    take the threat that they pose to the cats seriously, along with all the
    other risks of having free-roaming outdoor cats. anytime i try to bring
    it up to him he gets angry and defensive. utterly frustrating and
    exhausting.

    • Gina Gordon July 5, 2024 (1:24 pm)

      I lost a beautiful full grown cat mid day to a coyote. His brother is no longer allowed outdoors unless he is on a leash with me. I dislike the fact they they prey on animals we love. For them it’s survival, for us it’s  heartache! 

  • Lala July 3, 2024 (9:51 am)

    I live on 20th and Henderson and around 12am last night I heard a kitten screaming so I’m assuming it made it’s way up our way. It was terrifying to hear, we have a few strays on our block plus outdoor cats. I’m hoping the neighbors pull their cats inside. 

    • WS Res July 5, 2024 (2:14 pm)

      May well have been a rabbit – they make ungodly noise when preyed on. Sorry you had to hear that.

  • Jsteez July 3, 2024 (10:41 am)

    We’ve come home to see a coyote bounding across our driveway in Alki! I assumed they might live in Schmitz or Mee Kwa Mooks.

  • Christina July 3, 2024 (10:45 am)

    Well look on the brighter side they keep the rodent population down, they love rats.😌

  • Christina July 3, 2024 (10:47 am)

    Well look on the brighter side they keep the rodent population down, they love rats.😌 Their not so bad to have around.

  • Rob July 3, 2024 (12:04 pm)

    Didn’t happen here but… at my partner’s house up near Green lake a couple days ago, a coyote hopped into the neighbor’s fenced yard and killed their dog. Happened about 9:00 when it was still very light out. There’s lots of foot traffic on the street, someone walking their dog coming by at least every 5-10 minutes. From the video our security cameras captured, someone walking their dog came by just 2 minutes before and another just 3 minutes after. From its body language it’s apparent it was concerned about anything else in the vicinity, moving very cautiously and stopping to look around when it heard anything. Given that, it’s really shocking to see it do what it did in such a narrow window of time, and worries us about what else it may be brave/brazen enough to do. 

    • Paula July 3, 2024 (6:36 pm)

      Seriously……People are still shocked that they encroach on wildlife habitat and expect them to disappear… bunch of morons

      • Chuck July 4, 2024 (3:08 pm)

        Lions and Tigers and Bears..OH MY!

      • Gina Gordon July 5, 2024 (1:33 pm)

        It’s not about encroaching on their territory as noted in research I have read. Much of the high level of coyotes in urban areas is due to the fact that ranchers petitioned to have wolves removed from the lower 48. Once removed, the coyotes had no natural predators, allowing them to overpopulate and hence spread into both rural and urban areas. This is why we now see so much activity. Now that they are bringing wolves back maybe 20 years from now the numbers will reflect the natural cause and effect. Man should not think we can alter nature’s way without having negative effects.

  • WS Resident July 3, 2024 (6:44 pm)

    I worry for that domestic and friendly cat roaming the neighborhood around Birdhouse Coffee near 35th and Henderson..Otherwise, I really don’t see too many cats or other small wildlife out there. I do notice that the local rat population has significant decreased in my neighborhood, though I also know there are neighbors in my neighborhood that leave out poison for them. Please don’t leave out rat poison, folks. Alright, I’ll shut up now, but thanks for reading. 

  • Sue T. July 3, 2024 (7:59 pm)

    I appreciate WSB’s coyote reports. On an unrelated matter, there used to be a lot of WSB reporting about catalytic convertors getting stolen in West Seattle. What’s the latest on that issue?

    • WSB July 4, 2024 (12:49 pm)

      Catalytic converter thefts aren’t much of a thing any more. We’ve mentioned that a few times when the subject came up at community meetings. This was attributed largely to the bust-up of some theft rings in the larger region.

  • Pet owner in AH July 4, 2024 (10:43 am)

    Arbor Heights this morning, saw a coyote carrying a raccoon in its jaws running up California Ave. to 106th.

  • Curt July 4, 2024 (3:07 pm)

    Had 3 really good looking Coyotes outside my place last night sorry no pics .I live in Tukwila . These Coyotes are not all beat up they look good .And look well fed .

  • Tabitha Miera July 7, 2024 (1:36 pm)

    I almost hit a coyote they other day. It ran on hwy99. Right next to the dump. near south park. 

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