Hartsfield-Jackson flights briefly delayed by runway coyote
A coyote on the runway briefly delayed flights out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Tuesday afternoon, the FAA has confirmed.
The prairie wolf was spotted on the south side of the airport around 3:30 p.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said.
"An airport vehicle chased him into a ravine" and flights resumed after roughly five minutes, Bergen said.
Finding wildlife on runways is not as uncommon as you think.
"They've even had alligators turn up at some Florida airports," Bergen said.
And while it may be the first time a coyote has a delayed a flight out of Hartsfield-Jackson, it probably won't be the last.
Foreign to Georgia just a quarter-century ago, prairie wolves have been seen everywhere from the wetlands around Sope Creek in east Cobb to the heavily wooded neighborhoods in Buckhead. Earlier this month, Decatur residents appealed to city leaders for help in controlling the burgeoning coyote population.
Just last week a dead coyote was found not far off the Downtown Connector.
"There's not much you can do about them," said Brent Womack, a wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. "They're everywhere. Even New York City has coyotes. "
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
