A coyote roaming on a frozen body of water on the North Shore was caught on video this week and shared today on social media, adding to a growing number of sightings that show the species gaining a foothold on Long Island.
The short clip, posted to Instagram by LongIslandWiseGuy, appears to show an Eastern coyote moving through a wooded area near water in or around the Locust Valley–Lattingtown area, perhaps Beaver Lake or Mill Neck Creek, but not the Long Island Sound. The exact location was not disclosed.
Eastern Coyotes — a larger, more adaptable cousin of the Western Coyote — have been increasingly reported across Long Island in recent years. About 20 to 30 percent of the Eastern Coyote’s DNA is from wolves, 10 percent from domestic dogs, and the rest from the Western Coyote.
As Greater Long Island has previously reported, sightings have been confirmed in communities across the North Shore in Nassau, as well as ore sporadic sightings in Suffolk, as the animals continue to adapt to suburban landscapes.
Wildlife officials say coyotes are typically elusive and avoid people, though residents are encouraged to keep pets supervised and avoid feeding wildlife.
Top: GLI file photos
