Frequent coyote sightings at Volunteer Park raise questions from parkgoers
Jan 4, 2026, 5:00 AM
A photo of a coyote walking through grass. (Photo: Dylan Buell, Getty Images)
(Photo: Dylan Buell, Getty Images)
A coyote was spotted several times at Volunteer Park on Thursday, raising questions from local parkgoers about whether the wildlife authorities will capture it.
Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers initially responded to reports of a coyote attack, but later confirmed there was no attack and no injuries, according to KOMO News.
Many witnesses saw the coyote in the park on New Year’s Day, and it took park visitors completely by surprise.
“At the beginning, I thought it was a dog, but I told my wife, ‘Actually, a dog should be on a leash. That’s not a dog,'” Wen Chung told KOMO News.
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Several coyote sightings at Volunteer Park
Another resident nearby revealed that this is not the first time there has been a coyote sighting at the park, and now views it as a regular occurrence.
“It’s the conversation among all the dog walkers,” John Colwell, a resident near the park for more than 20 years, told KOMO News. “Everyone stops each other, ‘Did you see the coyote?’ ‘Watch out for the coyote.'”
No injuries have been reported at this time, and Colwell noted that he has never seen one of the coyotes attempt to attack someone.
Colwell also mentioned that the increasing number of sightings has sparked a debate among the Capitol Hill community about any solutions.
“There are people who want the state to deal with it, there are people who call every city agency or state agency,” Colwell told KOMO News. “Other people say, ‘Oh, they were here first.'”
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) advised that removing a coyote from a designated area, such as Volunteer Park, is not a viable long-term solution. Oftentimes, the coyote will return to the same place where it was taken from.
The WDFW provided preventative tips for coyote encounters, like ensuring children and pets are never unattended, or making loud noises and waving large objects to deter a coyote from the area.
Additionally, the WDFW noted that a person should never run from a coyote. If hazing and other deterrents fail and a coyote continues to pose an imminent threat, authorities could kill the animal.
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