Cliff the Coyote captured, released in the wild

By Bianca Buono

bbuono@abc6.com

@BBuonoABC6

Cliff the Coyote has a new home. The chummy wild animal achieved celebrity status on Aquidneck Island. He was set to be euthanized but public outcry saved him. He’s since been drugged, captured and relocated to an undisclosed location in the wild.

"Once he became habituated it was really a no win situation for him,” said Scott Marshall, Rhode Island’s State Veterinarian.

Cliff became known for roaming the popular streets of Newport and Middletown and was captured on Wednesday. He was taken off of the island and released into the wild.

He caused controversy over the past few months. Dr. Numi Mitchell of the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study was tracking him with a GPS collar and said several residents were feeding him, making him dangerously comfortable around people.

"It’s almost as if this animal feels like it’s part of the community,” Mitchell said.

For the most part, the community welcomed Cliff with open arms so when Middletown’s police chief ordered him killed, residents responded by raising money to send him to a zoo. Unfortunately, that couldn’t happen.

"Coyotes are a very common species zoos aren’t interested in them and also an animal that’s born in the wild has a very difficult time adjusting to life in captivity so we didn’t think that would be proper for him it would’ve been extremely stressful, cruel to put him in a zoo situation,” said Marshall.

Now, Cliff is wandering in the woods somewhere in Rhode Island without the GPS collar and the state vet says unfortunately his days may be numbered.

"He very may likely be injured or killed by another coyote defending his territory,” Marshall said.

He’s hoping that Cliff’s story will serve as a learning opportunity.

"Leave them in their wild state. You’re harming them when you try to interact with them,” explained Marshall.

© WLNE-TV 2016