Thanks to Cormac for sharing the photo. His note mentioned only “Highland Park” but we have a followup inquiry out to ask if he can provide a slightly more specific location. 11:20 AM UPDATE: Cormac replied and identified the location as “near Forest Lawn Cemetery” [WSB sponsor] which is more like “east of High Point,” so we’ve changed the headline. He also says he saw at least three in all. (Think you know all about coyotes? Here’s the “Living with Wildlife” link we always offer – including information on what to do if you find yourself too-close-for-comfort to a coyote.)

Two wildlife sightings from the WSB inbox – first, from Nancy:

3:00 AM – 36th SW in Admiral area Friday night/Saturday morning. Our dog went crazy barking in house. Turns out a large black/white skunk had taken over our backyard. Anyone else report a skunk in the Admiral area?

We don’t hear much about skunks, but the state has a “coexisting with skunks” webpage with handy advice, if you’ve encountered them – see it here. We hear much more often about coyotes, including this report this morning shared by Chris from SoundYoga (WSB sponsor):

6:45 am, walking my dog going north on 37th, and a coyote loped by us at 37th and Juneau on the opposite side of the street. We looked at each other but he seemed on a mission…

The state’s “coexisting with coyotes” info is here; our archive of West Seattle coyote-sighting reports (some with photos) can be browsed, newest to oldest, here.

Two wildlife notes this Friday evening. First from Sue:

Just a FYI, I saw a coyote this morning (7/16) 4 am at 35th and Manning [map].

And from WSB’er “Buddsmom“:

Coyotes aren’t the only wildlife that pet owners need to look out for. Last night at approx. 5:45 PM in the 108th block of Arbor Heights, our dog was bitten by a mama raccoon in our fenced back yard. Apparently, mama and babies were making their way across the yard when spotted by the dog and a chase ensued. Fortunately for both sides ,the raccoons got away and our dog suffered only superficial puncture wounds.

We often share the coexisting with coyotes link; here’s similar information regarding raccoons.

Out of the WSB inbox, from Michael:

I recently read about a coyote being spotted running at 37th and Juneau. Didn’t think it was possible, but this morning at 4:45am, I say one running down 38th between Juneau and Raymond [map]. I thought that was the last I would see of the animal but a few minutes later it came running back up the street in the opposite direction. If I weren’t for the fact I know they like to eat cats and small dogs, I’d welcome this bit of wildlife in our midst!

How to coexist with coyotes – read it here; past WSB coyote coverage – see it here.

From WSB Forums member BookGal, via e-mail:

I just witnessed a full grown coyote running up SW Juneau Street and head north on SW 37th Street [map]. Yes, in broad daylight! It almost looked like the crow was chasing the coyote and by all the very loud cawing, it was reading the coyote the riot act. I still hear a crow in the distance.

As always, here’s the “coexisting with coyotes” info; previous sighting reports are archived here.

2 quick notes for those keeping tabs: Early Saturday morning, from Sonia via Facebook, a coyote was spotted running south in the 6500 block of 42nd SW (behind West Seattle Thriftway in Morgan Junction); midmorning on Thursday, Marsha reported a coyote at 36th and Dawson (map). We publish these not as a warning, but as a reminder, if you think “Nah, not MY neighborhood” – they’re everywhere, and here’s how to coexist with them.

Two West Seattle coyote reports today. Kim e-mailed the longer one from North Admiral:

After a hiatus, North Admiral has a coyote in the neighborhood again. On Thursday in broad daylight, two neighbors walking west on Walker between 47th & 48th SW [map] saw a coyote walking tandem to them. Then the coyote sprinted ahead, turned and started walking towards them, turned again and ran away to the west. This might also account for the bite marks on our cat this week. Kitty will live, but small pet owners in the area need to be on alert.

Earlier, we got a quick Delridge coyote report via Twitter from Dartanyon:

Just saw a coyote sprint across Delridge from Chief Sealth [at boren] into Longfellow Creek!

Here’s the “coexisting with coyotes” link; here’s our archived coyote reports, reverse chronological order.

A couple to share this morning. Again, we don’t publish these reports (see our archive here, with some past photos, too) to promote hysteria, but rather to make sure you’re well aware that coyotes are among us (it’s pup season, too). First, from Karl:

This morning my wife chased a coyote away from the neighbor’s cat which was hiding in a fender well of a car. We live on 37th between Andover and Dakota [map]. I’m offering this to alert homeowners who let their cats (and dogs) outside and aren’t aware that we do have coyotes in northern West Seattle. This is the second time the coyote was seen in our neighborhood.

Further south, Scott C reported a double sighting last Wednesday:

… this morning at 2:45 AM I opened my front door and saw a couple of -large- Coyotes running down 36th Ave and turned down the hill on Othello [map]. They were both very quiet, and running very fast. Take appropriate measures given what I’ve seen. As they say, don’t leave food for animals outside. The two were large, which means well-fed.

Here’s the most valuable link we’ve ever seen on the topic: Coexisting With Coyotes.

From Jodi, by the southwest end of The Bridge:

I just wanted to let you know that coyotes have been very active in our neighborhood the last two nights. This morning at 4 am there was one in front our house yelping and running up and down the street (4000 block of Fauntleroy Way SW) along the West Seattle Bridge between the pedestrian overpass and the light at 35th. It was having a fit because there was another coyote on the road (West Seattle bridge) running back and forth between the east and west bond lanes trying to figure out how to get over the chain link fence to join it companion. We watched them for over 10 minutes before they both headed towards the pedestrian overpass. There wasn’t much traffic at that time of the morning on a Saturday, but it could be deadly other days of the week.

Just out of the WSB inbox, from DRG:

Just wanted to drop a quick note about a coyote sighting (my first): I was driving south on 44th Ave SW (between 43rd Place SW and SW 100th [map]) shortly after 10 pm tonight, and saw a coyote dart across the street into some bushes.

As always, we want to share the “coexisting with coyotes” info-link, in case their presence among us is news to you. (All our coyote reports, some with photos, are archived here, newest to oldest.)

Margaret sent this report Thursday night – as she notes, area animal-walkers might need to know, among others:

As I was walking my dog on Harbor Avenue today, I saw a wolf or a coyote dash across the street, from the harbor side to the wooded ravine. This occurred between Salty’s and the entrance to Jack Block Park. I think the animal may have been disturbed by someone driving a piece of heavy machinery pushing gravel around in the vacant lot next to Salty’s. The animal was almost hit by two cars as it crossed the street — one moving in each direction. It was about 12:30, in broad daylight. There was another witness (besides the drivers of the cars, who swerved to miss the animal) — a man walking toward Salty’s. He thought it was a wolf; I thought it was a coyote. In any case, it was not a loose dog. Perhaps people walking small animals in that area need to know. There is also a house … with goats in the back, on the hillside. I would hate to see carnage.

Wolf, pretty unlikely; coyote, much more likely. In fact, it’s been a little over a year since the case of the stranded coyote at Jack Block.

While coyotes aren’t necessarily rare in Seattle, the occasional coyote report we receive always manages to serve as a reminder to SOMEONE that they should be mindful of pets’ safety, not leaving food out, etc. From Jen:

We woke up last night around 2:30 am to the sound of some kind of animal making a howling/yelling noise (something I hadn’t ever heard before). It sounded like it was coming from the field behind the school at Fauntleroy and Findlay. I looked out the window and saw what looked like a coyote – although it was large for a coyote – for a brief moment as it ran across my neighbor’s lawn at 37th & Findlay [map]. Anyone else see it?

Pam e-mailed to say, “I walked out of my house at 47th and Lander [map] around 12:30 pm today and saw a coyote running north on 47th. Any other sightings reported?” As previously discussed, coyote sightings aren’t all that rare, but not everyone is aware of the coexistence advice in stories like this one we published last weekend. Here’s our archived coyote coverage.

(Editor’s note: After this recent WSB report and this recent Magnolia incident, it seemed like a good time to revisit the coyote question – as in, they’re living among us; should you be worried? The University of Washington is working with WSB and other small local news organizations again this semester, and one of their student journalists took on the assignment.)

(July 2008 photo from Vanessa, taken near Lincoln Park)
By EMILY FAIRBROOK
University of Washington News Lab

Jilly Eddy, a Gatewood resident, says she got “the heebie-jeebies” earlier this month when she found half a dead cat on her neighbor’s walkway.

All the signs pointed to coyotes, but before researching the topic, she had no idea they lived in her area. In the middle of this thriving city, it’s easy to forget that wild animals live just around the corner, or in some cases closer than that. Raccoons and squirrels are common, but it may come as a surprise that coyotes also call Seattle home.

Eddy’s property is on the edge of a large ravine, a common place for coyotes to live.

Kim Chandler, sergeant with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, called these greenbelts “coyote superhighways.”

He gets calls about coyotes several times a week, but tells worried citizens not to lose any sleep over it.Read More