Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Coyote's Cause of Death
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 7, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 7, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The necropsy report for Hal, the coyote whose visit to Central Park confounded authorities (of the animal control kind), transfixed NYers, and then died while being tagged for transport upstate, has been released and The Smoking Gun has it. While some people wondered if rough handling caused his death, it turns out that Hal was "greatly compromised," with his heart's right ventricle severely infected by heartworms and traces of rodenticide found in his system, causing hemmorhaging. The pathologist's diagnosis is essentially that he was very sick from the heartworms, and the stress of being readied for release contributed to his demise. It's unclear, then, if the state's Department of Environmental Conservation is truly responsible for Hal's death or if there will be any new procedures for the capture, tagging and release of animals on the loose. Updated: The DEC also had a statement that added, "...Hal's death is unfortunate, and in the hopes that similar situations can be prevented in the future, DEC is reviewing procedures for handling, tagging and releasing coyotes and will revise them if necessary to minimize handling stress." Which is good - and we hope that this goes for the procedures when handling, etc., other animals as well.
Tagged
animals
central park
death
Environmental Conservation
gun
people
smoking
Smoking Gun
strike
the future
The Smoking Gun
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .