A frightened coyote crawled into a California high school and hid behind a toilet, animal control officials said.
The Riverside County Animal Control Department was called on Monday, Oct. 3 after officers found a male coyote in a bathroom stall at Mission High School in Jurupa Valley, according to a news release.
A video released by the agency shows the 9-month-old coyote trying to hide behind a toilet before an animal control officer approaches it and coaxes it out using a pole.
In the video, an animal control officer can be heard quietly saying, “Let’s arrest you,” as he tries to lasso the animal.
“We are glad that this incident went smoothly and all the children were okay and we were able to return the coyote to its more natural habitat,” Animal Services Director Erin Gettys said, according to the release.
After being caught, the coyote was released into the open.
“Have a nice trip,” an animal control official said in the video as the coyote ran across the open area.
The 9-month-old coyote has been nicknamed “Wile E.” after the mischievous coyote in the popular cartoon “The Runner,” according to the report.
The coyote had been spotted on campus in recent weeks, but had never been seen on school property until staff saw it in a bathroom, officials said.
As land development creates more open spaces in what was once natural habitat, more encounters with coyotes and other wildlife can be expected, according to the release.
Jurupa Valley is about 50 miles east of Los Angeles.
In September, Ohio family meets coyote in his home, also hiding behind a toilet, according to McClatchy News. Officers were able to “safely remove the coyote and release it back into the wild intact.”
