San Francisco was stirred when a resident found a coyote comfortably positioned on their patio furniture last week. This unexpected encounter allowed for an interesting observation of the urban coyote's behavior, and sparked question on the city's urban wildlife.

On a warm Friday morning, the coyote had taken its nap in a Russian Hill resident's yard. Unusually, the coyote showed reluctance to leave when approached, prompting a call to San Francisco Animal Care and Control.

Officer Laura Mullen who was dispatched to handle the situation reported a healthy coyote on the Animal Care and Control's Facebook page. After maneuvering the coyote into leaving the yard, Mullen saw it hop a fence and vanish into a nearby woodland area. She suspects the coyote to be a young male exploring the city to possibly find a new territory and mate.

While a coyote in patio furniture isn't a common scene, Deb Campbell of San Francisco Animal Care and Control, in an interview with SFGATE, affirmed that this occurrence wasn't exceptional. According to her, the department's officers have had their share of unique sightings.

San Francisco's coyote population is estimated around 100, a number that remains constant over a period of 10 to 15 years. These animals play a role in managing city's rodent population, thereby contributing to disease control. Typically shy coyotes can, however, exhibit assertive attributes to protect when they feel endangered or their pups are perceived to be in danger.

The city's Animal Care and Control encourages locals to online report any coyote sightings, which assists its personnel in tracking and monitoring the animal's behavior. Instructions are provided to directly call the agency in case of sightings indicating an injured or sick coyotes.