On the morning of July 24, Mercer Island resident Daniel Thompson spotted a coyote roaming in the 7200 block of North Mercer Way. Thompson told the Reporter that he snapped an image of the animal at about 7:30 a.m., posted the photo to Next Door and shared the photo with the city of Mercer Island.

The photo prompted the city to inform the public of the sighting on social media: “The city works with state and federal wildlife agencies to monitor coyote behavior and respond as outlined in the city’s Coyote Management Plan. Coyotes are adaptable animals and while their presence on Mercer Island is not unusual, there are steps Islanders should take to minimize potential interactions.”

According to the city, if residents happen to encounter a coyote — which tend to be active at night and are naturally afraid of people — the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife encourages people to “haze” it by jingling keys, making loud noises, yelling and more.

The city post noted that the Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that coyote attacks near or on humans are extremely rare. However, humans increase the likelihood of conflicts with coyotes by deliberately or inadvertently feeding these animals. All Islanders should: Avoid leaving food or garbage unsecured outside; never feed wild animals or leave pet food out, whether for bunnies, raccoons, deer, or otherwise; and be mindful of their pet’s location.

If residents see a coyote on the Island or have a negative interaction with the animal, they can call the Mercer Island police non-emergency number at 425-577-5656. Any attacks on people or pets should be reported as quickly as possible. If residents are in immediate danger or threatened by an animal, call 911 immediately.

As stated in a Reporter article from 2022, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services Division experts located and removed two coyotes from Mercer Island on Feb. 17 that they spotted “displaying increased comfortability around humans and homes,” according to the city. The two coyotes were euthanized following USDA protocol, the city added.

For more information, visit: https://letstalk.mercergov.org/wildlife-on-mercer-island/news_feed/coyote-updates