Coyotes in Raleigh?

Last week while walking my dogs along a Raleigh greenway at night, I think I saw a coyote. We were on the trail east of Raleigh Boulevard when my dogs began pulling on their leashes as if trying to get to something ahead of us. Exasperated, I scolded them -- when all of the sudden an animal burst out of the brush just a few feet away from us and tore down the trail. We've seen foxes along the greenway before, but this was bigger than a fox -- as tall as my Australian shepherd but leaner. It was difficult to see clearly in the dark, but its coat appeared to be tan and gray, and it ran from us with bushy tail tucked between its legs. Then last night while walking our dogs along that same stretch of trail, my husband saw what he guesses was probably the same animal, which burst from the bushes near the same spot along the creek and crossed the trail into the woods. When I mentioned our sightings to a friend today, he said he also saw what he thought was a coyote in his neighborhood near Oakwood Cemetery. Since coyotes are known to thrive in suburban and even urban settings and have made appearances in Greensboro, Washington's Rock Creek Park and even New York City, it isn't surprising that they'd be with us here in Raleigh -- especially since I saw one several years ago in Umstead Park at the city's northwestern edge. I know some people fear coyotes (the animals can present a threat to unattended small pets, though they rarely attack humans), but they play a beneficial role in the ecosystem by keeping mice and squirrel populations in check. Some tips for avoiding conflicts with coyotes include not approaching them, not feeding them, not leaving food or garbage outside, and not allowing pets to roam free, especially at night.

(Photo from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Web site)