Image via 24th precinct.
Police officers pursued and eventually captured a coyote in Riverside Park around the West 70’s late on Saturday night, according to the 24th precinct and several tipsters. An officer told a man walking his dog that the animal had possibly come from upstate New York and had attacked a dog. (Police were first alerted to the coyote around 9:30 p.m., but one of our readers said she had first seen the coyote as early as Thursday night.)
Around 10 p.m. on Saturday police caught up with the animal, one tipster said: “Just to let you know, the police just (10 PM) tranquilized a coyote near the statue of Eleanor Roosevelt.” The coyote was eventually captured inside the basketball courts around 76th street and turned over to Animal Care and Control, which was expected to release it back into the wild.
The 24th precinct followed the action on twitter.
@NYPD24Pct: Coyote safely tranquilized and removed to Animal Care & Control. Great job by @nypd20Pct & @nypdspecialops!
@NYPD24Pct: Sorry for the delay-took a while. Had it corralled inside fenced-in BB court, but so cold out, the tranquilizer in the darts kept freezing!
@NYPD24Pct: NYPD Emergency Services did a great job & the coyote is unharmed (although now she is a little sleepy). The question is: What to name her?
Update, Monday: The coyote has been nicknames Riva and released into a wilderness area in the Bronx.
OMG!! I saw it too very late Thurs. night running down the middle of W. 74th (betw WEA & Bwy). First I thought it was a stray or lost dog, so I ran out to see if it was ok, but it was already gone, last seen heading west to the park. I was very upset, thinking that a dog was abandoned on such a cold night. Then it occurred to me that it sort of looked like a wild animal, but in the dark hard to decipher. Well, now I know. Thanks for posting.
How in the world are coyotes getting to Manhattan anyway? Where are they coming from, as they are not indigenous? There was one captured in Central Park about a year or so ago. Seeing this poor animal on the streets of Manhattan is upsetting, as they are obviously out of their element and in danger of being hit by cars.
They are using the Columbus Avenue bike lane. It is almost always free of traffic.
You made my day-best line ever!
funniest remark ever.
I’m more amazed that the NYPD violated their hissy fit work stoppage to deal with something like ths.
Yeah…Don’t you just hate it when people have 2 colleagues killed in cold blood and they have a hissy about it. I’m sure if two of your co-workers were killed you’d be back at it full force the next day. Dang those whiny cops who get upset when their law abiding colleagues are murdered. You’re right. Better have another 6 dollar latte and call 311 about the hissy. Just be careful dialing, you could break a nail.
Pictures or it didn’t happen.
Gretchen,
They walk from the Bronx at night There are quite a few known coyotes in the Bronx and many many more in Westchester and it is a short walk over one of the bridges.
There has been an explosion of the coyote populations all over the US and very much in the Northeast.
In addition these coyotes are hybrids with Canadian wolves and as such are more social and able to live in urban areas.
This information is easily found on the web.
They come down from the Bronx at night?
Is this like the opening scene of the Warriors?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTUrWYv2vtU
Why yes. Yes it is.
Thanks for the 411!
the coyote should be named Eleanor, obviously!! 😉
Holwy cwap!!
Do coyotes eat rats?!?!
Should me and me friends n’ family be worried?!?!
:-0
We should only be so lucky if cops could tranquilize people who resist arrest.
Residents of the Upper East Side were very glad to hear about this coyote sighting because they are always looking for a way to control theiir cougar population.
Great comments on this thread, but I think this one is the best.
In other news, the Roadrunner was apprehended zipping down the Westside Highway at about 72nd street, was promptly issued a warning by the NYPD and let go to be on his merry way.
Typical prejudice and insensitivity….I propose a demonstration in the streets tonight. Who’s in?? No Justice No Peace!! I AM WILY!!
Roadrunner is supported by the deep pockets of the ACME corporation. They protect him with the ill gotten gains of their sales of dynamite, rockets, and other explosives many of which are clearly defective.
this is such a disturbing picture…is it really necessary?
We felt it was important to illustrate the story. And our understanding is that the animal is in good health now. WSR
It’s a sleeping dog. What could possibly be disturbing about it. Wild animals sleep outside every day. Seriously, this is why people mock New Yorkers.
I will donate to buy it a snuggly bed or sweater if you start a fund.
That coyote is very well fed and healthy. Quite a set of choppers on him as well. He was clearly captured upstate and brought down here by some wiseacre looking to cause trouble. Does anyone really believe he crossed the Macombs bridge and ambled down to 76th St?
I am moving to 42nd Street.
That’s crazy, I’ve heard about some getting over on the east end of Long Island too.
Uh, where was it released exactly? There are “wilderness areas” in the Bronx?
Update, Monday: The coyote has been nicknames Riva and released into a wilderness area in the Bronx.