Have You Seen The Piedmont Park Coyote?

ATLANTA, GA -- Midtown residents are a little on edge these days after several coyote sightings around Piedmont Park.

The latest sighting occurred Monday, according to a local news report. In one video obtained by WSB-TV, the animal is seen lazily relaxing near a volleyball net in the park. It seems to be unbothered by humans or dogs, or anything for that matter.

The "urban coyote" problem is not new to the city. As recently as 2012, there were reports of the predators invading neighborhoods in Buckhead.

But what makes this one (or is it two?) coyote unusual is that it doesn't seem to mind crowds or other animals, which frequent the park by the hundreds on a daily basis. And that has neighbors a bit concerned.

“I’ve never seen one, and I don’t know how it got here,” neighbor Jeff Porubsky told WSB. “We've got my dogs, me, little dogs and kids, and they can definitely do a number on them,” he said.

A video uploaded onto Youtube on Christmas Day appears to show the coyote walking across a field in the park facing 10th Street.

The Atlanta Coyote Project, an advocacy group promoting healthy co-existence between the animals and humans, says on its website that the organization has received numerous calls about the four-legged creature.

The group feels that the animal is likely young and is searching for its own mate and territories. The main thing is that the animal has not attacked anything or anyone ... yet.

"We have not received any reports of these coyotes acting aggressively, but they are wild animals and should be treated with respect and caution. Whenever possible, avoidance is the best strategy," the group says on its website.

If there is a united message from neighbors and officials about the Piedmont Park coyote, it is simply not to feed the animal or let them interact with your pets. And as always, stay a safe distance.

Law enforcement officials told WSB-TV that they do not plan on removing the coyote.

Image via Youtube / Timothy Herdina