Coyote Invades Block Party In Linden Hills

National Night Out got a little more exciting for one block of Linden Hills residents on Tuesday, according to an email from Patch reader Niel Ritchie.

on the 4200 block of Vincent Avenue South. Just a coyote loping from yard to yard, possibly sniffing for burgers left unguarded.

"I was not there at the time but my beloved spouse, Jean Johnson, who organized the event said she and most everyone who was there at the time saw it," Ritchie wrote. "Skinny, tall about 45 pounds"

"It was startling for sure and folks who had animals out in their yards moved them in to safety," he added. "But it occurs to me that we don't know much about these critters and how to respond to the reality that they are with us in Linden Hills."

Back in May, when St Louis Park saw two dogs killed by coyotes and a rash of sightings, St Louis Park and Southwest Minneapolis Patches , to give a sense of how far the creatures range across the city. The map is also posted above

Simply click the "Add" button, supply your name, the approximate address of the sighting, and additional information:

• Was a pet with you?
• How many did you see?
• Did they approach or run away?
• The date you saw the coyote(s), as best as you can remember.

We also talked to Dan Niziolek of Minneapolis Animal Care and Control for some explanation and . He said coyotes in the city are often looking for food. 

"Coyotes tend to be very reserved, and they're normally not out during the day. We want to make sure they keep their wild instinct to have a fear of humans," Niziolek said. "Don't hurt the animal, but make it a negative experience—make a loud noise, shout—so they know you're there and don't loose that fear."

Then, if the coyote seems at all aggressive or not fearful, call Minneapolis 311 to report the animal to Minneapolis Animal Care and Control, to help monitoring efforts.

"The bottom line is that coyotes are like all wildlife," Niziolek said. "Enjoy it, respect it, and act accordingly. Coyotes and us can coexist, but we need to be conscious of where the animals are."

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