Judging by size, long legs, and profile, as well as the time stamp of 1am—coyotes are nocturnal hunters—local naturalists agree this image captures a coyote. CNC Trustee Tom Golodik writes, "It would be telling to examine the tracks. Dogs wander all over the place when they walk; coyotes typically move in straight lines and place rear feet in front paw tracks. Because the coyote’s heel pad is smaller than a dog’s, coyote tracks show more open space between the two outside toes, whereas the dog’s larger heel pads tends to intrude into the area between the outside toes."
