A homeowner in San Francisco says they had to call animal control after finding a coyote lounging on their patio furniture. According to San Francisco Animal Care & Control, the animal wouldn’t budge even when the homeowner approached the animal resting on an outdoor couch.
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The homeowner worried that the animal was sick due to its sluggish behavior. When an animal control officer arrived, they carefully approached the coyote cautiously.
“I approached the coyote and started talking to him, telling him that it was time to get up,” said Officer Mullen in a social media post. “He (coyote) looked at me, got up, took a big stretch and made his way to the edge of the yard. He was moving appropriately and did not appear sick or injured.”
The home’s yard sits against a wooded area, and the coyote walked into the brush and on its way.
Animal Care & Control believes the coyote may be a young male recently kicked out of its den. The animal was now wandering the city to make it on its own.
Wildlife officials say coyote families consist of an alpha pair that mate for life. Once new pups are born, the older pups leave about four to six months later.
Living with Coyotes
Like many other urban areas, San Francisco has a coyote population as part of their exosystem. Most estimates believe there are around 100 coyotes in the city. Officials say the population has been steady for the last 15 years or so and rebounded from the 1940s when rat poison wiped out most of the population.
There are now reports of coyotes in 49 U.S. States. Hawaii is the only exception.
Coyotes help control rodent populations and are not usually a threat to humans. Most cases of aggressive coyotes involve a mother or father coyote protecting pups. Otherwise, the animals are considered to be fairly timid.
