Motorists in California's Marin County have recently reported regular attacks on cars by coyotes who officials believe may be urged on by the effects of magic mushrooms.
For more than three weeks, a coyote -- or coyotes -- have been staring down cars driving on the state's scenic Highway 1. They attack the cars before leaving, according to a report from Pacific Sun.
So what's causing the unusual interactions?
It's unlikely the strange behavior could be caused by rabies, the Marin Humane Society told Pacific Sun. The coyotes would likely have died already if they suffered from rabies.
Another possibility that officials have not been able to completely rule out: the animals could be inadvertently eating the fly agaric mushrooms that grow in the area.
The fungus has hallucinogenic properties.
"The cars would therefore be some sort of coyote vision, a dark vision of human interlopers, who must be stopped before the rents get any higher in West Marin," Pacific Sun reported. "That would be kind of cool."
Lisa Bloch, director for marketing and communications for the Marin Humane Society, told the newspaper the organization hadn't ruled out the mushroom theory, but it does have a more likely explanation for the coyotes' regular appearances.
"One possibility is that the coyote has been fed, and this is a real problem for us in Marin," she told Pacific Sun. "It's possible that someone was feeding him and thinking that it's cool, and magical and mystical to have a coyote eating out of his hand."
California law prohibits the feeding of wild animals.
