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Wildlife in the City: A Coyote Near Nat'l Cathedral

IN RECENT WEEKS, we've seen headlines about black bears in Montgomery County, most recently a sighting yesterday that "really freaked" out a 10-year-old girl playing video games inside her North Bethesda home. It's another reminder that, yes, humans and wildlife co-exist — even in urban areas.

There's also word of a recent wild animal sighting inside the District lines: a coyote spotted near the National Cathedral.

Photo by Gerald Martineau/The Washington PostCoyote sightings in Rock Creek Park aren't all that uncommon. But here's how a neighborhood message board posting described this encounter near Woodley Road and 34th Street NW:

At the far edge of the lawn he paused and then jumped onto some small animal in the area along the driveway of the Lowell Street house next to the church. He shook his head back and forth to dispatch his prey, and then I lost sight of him.
It's reasonable to assume that the coyote came up from Rock Creek Park via Klingle Valley, home to the abandoned, mudslide-damaged Klingle Road. Might this provide more fodder for those living in Ward 3 to keep Klingle Valley walled off? (First, keep out cars from Ward 1; now, ward off coyotes looking for food.)

On a recent evening walk in Massachusetts Avenue Heights, this writer suddenly encountered a deer munching on an ornamental hedgerow on 32nd Street NW. There was only three feet or so separating us. After getting into a staring contest with the deer for about three minutes, the deer bolted, fortunately deciding not to charge at yours truly.

What might have happened if that had been a coyote? Here are some helpful hints on how to co-exist with coyotes (coyotes love berries, bird seed and "any dogs that are not spayed or neutered") and what to do if you find yourself face-to-face with one (have a noisemaker handy).

» "2nd Bear Sighting in Weeks Reported" [WaPo]
» "Rockville Area Neighborhood Gets Visit From Black Bear" [WaPo]
» "When Animals Run Amok" [Free Ride/Express]
» "Coyote!" [Cleveland Park/Yahoo Group]
» "D.C.'s Coyotes Get Comfy in Rock Creek Park" [Free Ride/Express]
» "Tips" [Coyote Project]
» "What Do You Do If You See a Coyote?" [Coyote Project]

File photo of a taxidermist-mounted coyote by Gerald Martineau/The Washington Post

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