Cliff the Coyote's Life Spared, Will Go to Zoo

MIDDLETOWN, RI — Cliff the Coyote will not be euthanized after all.

Middletown Police Chief Anthony M. Pesare said Friday that talks between the police department, the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study and Newport City Councilor John Florez have resulted in a new plan to capture Cliff with nonlethal force and send him to an area zoo.

“While it is never our first choice to use lethal force on an animal, our attempts at using non-lethal force did not deter this coyote’s dangerous behavior. After the coyote appeared at a bus stop that was filled with children and when the department received a report that the coyote had chased a mother, her small child and family pet, the decision was made in conjunction with Dr. Mitchell to employ lethal force,” said Chief Pesare in a statement.

Cliff was set to be shot dead in the imminent future after widespread concerns that he had grown far too comfortable around humans, posing a threat to livestock, pets and small children.

A tracking collar revealed that Cliff has been repeatedly fed food left out by humans despite repeated warnings that not only is it illegal, it would also lead to the coyote's untimely demise.

While the coyote is viewed affectionately by many residents of Aquidneck Island who marvel at the sight of a wild animal walking its turf, experts said Cliff's repeated contact with humans desensitized his fear instincts. Though he might seem as harmless as a family dog, he's still a wild animal.

Police on Monday said that Cliff needed to be removed from the island after too many run-ins. Immediately, a petition circulated and garnered more than 20,000 signatures in a day. Florez, by midweek, had announced his intention to try and broker a solution that would spare Cliff's life while respecting the concerns of wildlife experts and police who say Cliff posed a danger to the public.

Now, Florez will work with Narragansett Bay Coyote Study head scientist Numi Mitchell to capture and transport Cliff to an area zoo.

"The department is grateful that this coyote will be removed from Aquidneck Island and relocated to a zoo where it will no longer pose a threat.," Pesare said.

The chief said this moment marks an opportunity to spread awareness about the dangers of feeding wild animals. It's also a chance to "address the issue of the ever-increasing coyote population in a holistic manner."

Experts say that relocating coyotes rarely proves effective. Because Cliff is already somewhat socialized, he wouldn't fare well in the wild, since he'd end up in an area that already is claimed by another coyote. Likely, he'd spend the rest of his days trying to get back to his home turf, and that is a likely death sentence with so many roads, highways, train tracks and backyards to traverse.

Over the summer, officials tried to re-instill fear by shooting rubber bullets at him, hoping he'd avoid people in the future. But Cliff, whose movements can be followed because he's outfitted with a GPS collar, has been tracked visiting a Middletown house repeatedly.

If the people in that house are deliberately feeding him, they will be charged, the chief said. If they are leaving food out for a cat or dog, they will be warned, he said, but it would appear Cliff has been finding food at that house.

Cliff, about 18 months old, had been used for Mitchell's research. He was tranquilized, fitted with the special collar and used to track the pack's movements and discover its food sources.

Earlier this year, Mitchell's research led police to charge a Portsmouth woman with feeding the coyotes. Middletown police have spoken to people involved in similar activity.

Links:
Narragansett Bay Coyote Study

Cliff the Coyote Still Alive, Final Fate Decided Soon

Photo courtesy: Tracy Donovan O'Malley