Coyote Captured in Manhattan to Be Released, Probably in an Outer Borough

The coyote captured by Emergency Services on Thursday after wandering around Tribeca for a day is going to be released somewhere in the city, but the Parks Department won't say where. Parks Spokeswoman Vickie Karp told the Times

"We pick the largest and most suitable natural habitat for the coyote. And for the sake of people, we'll put the coyote somewhere with plenty of open space so people don't have to say, 'You parked him in front of my house.'"

Initial reports had the coyote, which is currently under observation at the New York City Animal Shelter, headed for Van Cortlandt Park, but the Health Department won't confirm.

The Health Department said the Parks Department is now working with New York Animal Care and Control "to release the animal in a city park that possesses a more suitable natural habitat for the coyote." Though Van Cortlandt Park was considered as a possible home for the coyote, the Health Department said, "to avoid stressing the coyote, and disturbing its relocation process, we will not be releasing the name of the site where it will be relocated."

City law requires coyotes captured in the city to be released in the city. The five largest parks in the city system are Pelham Bay and Van Cortlandt in the Bronx, Flushing Meadows (which contains the Mets and the tennis stadium) in Queens, the Greenbelt in Staten Island (which seems politically improbable), and Central Park. Smart money says Wiley ends up in the Bronx. The most recent coyote released went to Pelham Bay.