My Ballard reader Melissa emailed in to report that she spotted a coyote at Golden Gardens on Sunday afternoon.
“I was just walking my dog through the wooded area of Golden Gardens that is behind the off leash dog area and saw a coyote walking on the trail. Be alert!,” says Melissa.
It’s not uncommon for coyotes to be attracted to areas like ours, where there’s plenty of food around and relatively little threat.
According to the Humane Society, it’s important to prevent coyotes from feeling “at home” in the neighborhood. The organization recommends hazing, which can help maintain their healthy fear of humans to avoid them showing up at your next barbecue.
If you happen to see a coyote in your neighborhood, the Humane Society stresses that you should never run away; instead, yell and shout at it until it completely leaves the area. They also advise keeping pet food and pets inside at night.
This isn’t the first time they’ve been seen prowling the neighbourhood, the most recent sighting being in May last year on 75th Ave NW .
For helpful resources about coyote behavior and what to do in case of an encounter, read this from the Humane Society about coyote hazing, and this informational page from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
If you have any Ballard coyote experiences or sightings you’d like to share, email us at tips@myballard.com.
Spotted in the early morning hours around 4:30am on 32nd and 80th. Two to be exact and both were skittish.