Coyote won't be shot — yet

The coyote that has been roaming Discovery Park won't be shot after all, at least not this week, the federal Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Monday.

Instead, the agency likely will try to trap the animal, which it says is a danger to people and animals living in military housing in the park and to those living near the park.

If the animal is trapped, it likely will be euthanized, said Ken Gruver, assistant state director for USDA Wildlife Services in Olympia.

"The coyote is showing aggressive tendencies to people and animals," he said. "There's an indication it's losing its fear of humans and could be a human health and safety issue."

The coyote has snatched a cat and chased a small dog in the park.

Gruver said his agency plans to meet with the city later this week to discuss the situation, and can't rule out the possibility the animal will be shot.

"We have to wait and see what the Navy wants to do," Gruver said.

Several weeks ago, the USDA sent specialists to investigate the coyote problem and didn't see the animal but talked to worried residents, he said. The USDA then set traps but later removed them.

Whatever the USDA decides to do, said Gruver, it won't happen on park property but near the park's military housing.

When it thought the USDA planned to kill the coyote, the city of Seattle said it would put extra staff at entrances to the park to keep anyone with a firearm from shooting the coyote. Now, with the most recent change in plans, that won't happen.

On Sunday, a spokesman for Naval Station Everett said a marksman was scheduled to shoot the animal, which has been boldly approaching a cluster of military homes inside the park.

"The concern is for the health and safety of the people up there," said public-affairs officer Rick Huling. "There are a lot of people with small children, and that's a concern particularly when you have an animal that is acting strangely."

Joelle Ligon, Seattle Parks spokeswoman, said the city called the Navy and the agency that manages the military housing in the park. The city also plans to ask the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to assess the danger of the coyote in the park.

Ligon said the USDA agreed Monday to meet with the city before it does anything about the coyote.

The city opposes trapping the animal and claims that the last time the USDA tried to trap the coyote, the traps were placed too close to park property. "We don't believe the coyote is a harm to humans," she said.

"If there's a danger to humans, we'll formulate a plan. If it's not a danger, we want it to stay in the park," she said. "We do not harm wildlife in a park."

As far as animals being endangered by the coyote, she said dogs in the park are to be on leashes and cats should be kept indoors.

Gruver said the USDA has shot coyotes in the state before. "This one has been killing pets," said Gruver, "and has been aggressive to people. The fear is the possibility that someone may get bitten."

He said urban coyotes are an annoyance, but most don't cause problems like the Discovery Park one does. "I regret we have to do something with this guy," Gruver said, "but we need to protect human safety."

The military officers' housing in Discovery Park is a remnant of Fort Lawton, a former Army base that commanded the Magnolia bluffs for more than 70 years before being converted to the city's largest park. The 26 elegant Victorian homes, with wide porches and marine views, sit on a parcel of Navy land inside the park. Most who live there are naval officers and their families.

Times science reporter Sandi Doughton contributed to this report.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com