CARNIVORE SPOTTER:
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
T
he Seattle Urban Carnivore Project, a partnership between Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle University, aims to explore how mammalian carnivores live and interact with people across urban and suburban areas in the Seattle region. Coexisting means understanding all the wildlife who share our neighborhoods. The project’s online Carnivore Spotter tool allows our community members from across the greater Seattle area to report their carnivore sightings. Folks have reported coyote sightings in Queen Anne, black bears in Issaquah, bobcats in Bothell and everything in between! Our carnivore team is especially excited when they receive reports with visuals such as photos! This allows others to experience the exciting sightings you all are seeing in our communities and also makes it easier to verify the report. Each report is individually reviewed, and those that do include photos, video or audio are verified to ensure that these observations are presenting the most accurate information about urban carnivores.
Let’s take a look at a few of our favorites so far! 1. Coyotes are the most common species reported on Carnivore Spotter, comprising about 50% of the total reports. This coyote was sighted along someone’s backyard pool in the Eastgate area. Although the yard is fenced, it is not uncommon for a coyote to jump a 6-foot fence as they wander their urban habitats. 2. Interactions between species do sometimes occur, but it is quite rare to video two urban carnivores in the same place at once. One community member did just that! This video shows a black bear and coyote somewhat playfully interacting near Carnation, Washington. 3. With the increased use of remote cameras by community members, there are now more opportunities to capture photos of our urban carnivores. This photo shows a sow black bear and her two cubs, seemingly relaxing in someone's backyard. Black bear cubs stay with their mothers for over a year, learning how and where to find food for survival. 4. Speaking of coyotes... check out this adorable footage of a rascally coyote who found the perfect midnight souvenir. Coyotes can be playful, just like your dog! We have received a number of photos and videos that showcase the playful nature of coyotes. 5. Each report submitted to Carnivore Spotter is individually reviewed, and those that include photos, video or audio are verified to ensure that these observations are accurate. If you look at the Carnivore Spotter map you will see very few cougars (mountain lions). A community member from the Newcastle area recorded this verified cougar video on a home security camera. Whoa! 6. About 11% of the reports on Carnivore Spotter are of bobcats, a small felid, common throughout Washington state. This beautiful photo was captured in the Lake Sammamish area, which if you investigate the Carnivore Spotter map, is a very common place to see bobcats. The majority of the bobcat sightings occur east of Lake Washington. Katie Remine, Coordinator, Living Northwest Animal photos and video courtesy of Seattle Urban Carnivore Project / Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle University.
12 MYZOO Member Magazine | Summer 2020 | zoo.org
