Readers sent in emails with additional sightings:
I have seen a pack of 4 adults in that area late at night and early in the morning. They are good-sized animals. I also stopped cutting through the Center for Urban Horticulture when its dark.
1/31: Our son saw a coyote running south near 47th Avenue NE and NE 38th Street, last night at 9:30 PM.
One ran down our street, East Laurelhurst Drive, a couple of years ago, with a crow in its mouth. If I hadn't been walking 2 golden retrievers, and just trying to keep them from going after it, I'd have taken one myself. That was the same year a deer was on our street, trying to figure out how to get down to the lake....did it, by the way. We have also seen an uptick in the raccoon population on our block, our son is on NE 43rd Street near 50th Avenue NE, and found two raccoons in his backyard the other night. Those he does photos of.
2/3: Tonight at 10:15pm, I saw a coyote going south on 46th Avenue NE, near NE 50th Street, towards Laurelhurst park. Sounds similar to the sighting on your blog from a week ago.2/12
2/12: 8:40pm 2 coyotes seen
We were walking around the point at the Union Bay Natural Area and 2 coyotes went running through the center area off trail. Many were walking with small dogs and warned them. Some dogs off leash. Two weeks ago one of the coyotes came up to my friend walking her Husky and was not afraid despite yelling at it. They are not afraid. I notified a person at the Horticulture Center who was going to contact UW officials and they are going to post warning signs reminding people to be alert, especially with small dogs.
The coyotes are great at taking care of the nutria population there, an invasive species. Unfortunately, cats have also been found. It is not an off leash area, so no dogs should be off leash at UBNA.
Here is information the Laurelhurst Community Club sent out about living with coyotes in May 2006::
LIVI
Once again, coyotes have been sited in the neighborhood. Coyotes are generally very shy. They most often eat mice, rats, squirrels, rabbits, road kill, fruit and insects.
Relocation is no longer allowed, although animal control officials may pursue rabid or dangerous animals. There are really only two alternatives. Pay someone to trap and kill the coyote who is probably feeding young or learn to coexist in our urban environment.
As one neighbor has stated, “It’s sad that this “song dog” to the American Indians, a shy, smart, adaptable animal is so feared.”
The following information has been provided by the Humane Society:
“Fortunately, living with coyotes is not difficult. It all boils down to a
number of relatively simple tasks: not giving coyotes an easy meal by leaving out pet food, unprotected garbage, or small animals (such as cats or dogs under 50 lbs.); and punishing them by shouting at or spraying water near them whenever they approach human property. Fruit that falls off trees should also be immediately picked up, since coyotes are omnivorous.
The more free meals they find and the more non-threatening people they encounter, the more coyotes will lose their fear of humans. If we refrain from feeding birds in areas where coyotes have been spotted, keep trash well-contained, put small dogs on leashes or behind coyote-proof fences, confine cats safely indoors, and make sure small children are always accompanied by adults in woodland areas, conflicts between our species can be minimized or eliminated.
Coyotes who adapt to human settlements become bolder, appearing often in daylight and sometimes standing their ground when threatened. Some media outlets have reported coyotes roaming onto front porches or backyards. Under these circumstances, animal control officers should be called in to take charge of the problem. Remember never to run from a coyote if you are confronted with one. Instead, make yourself look big, and shout. And always remember that coyotes are wild animals and should remain that way. Never try to feed them or pet them.”
Additional information about coyotes can be found here.
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