[sphinx]

There are plenty of coyote in Rock Creek

I'd never heard that before. The creek would provide an escape route in either direction, down to the river or upstream to semi-open country outside the beltway. I didn't know there was a local population in Rock Creek Park itself.

With the Potomac, Rock Creek, the Anacostia, and the Anacostia tributaries, DC has some pretty good wildlife corridors. We do have some interesting critters wandering around from time to time.

[jjsheridan5]

Officially, they don't have a permanent population (although there are a decent number of official sightings, it is a bit like cougars east of the Mississippi -- everyone knows it, but nobody officially admits it). But get someone who works there talking over beer, and the truth comes out. Apparently, they see tracks more than actual coyote, because they are quite shy and are nocturnal (coyote are amazing in their capacity for adaptation), at least in the park itself.