Coyote Goes Full Send and Cliff Jumps Into a Gorge

Key Points:

• Coyotes are great swimmers but only get wet if there is no other choice.
• Excellent climbers, coyotes can scale rock cliffs and fences by hooking their strong claws in and using powerful hind legs to push.
• A coyote’s coat provides excellent camouflage and makes it undetectable in its native environment.

Coyote Can Climb Like a Mountain Goat

Coyotes have a creepy ability to climb. If you live in a residential area where coyotes have been spotted, you know the measures you have to take to protect any of your small pets. You know to keep your eye out for coyote scat. In this video, there are people traveling on water and there is a near-vertical cliff face on the right-hand side.

You can hear some men commenting about the coyote in the background as they keep the camera steady on the rocks just ahead of them. It’s unclear where the coyote is because it’s camouflaged so well against the rocks. You don’t quite spot it until it takes that incredible cliff jump. Once you realize just how high up it got, it’s shocking.

The freefall lasts for a few seconds as the coyote kicks its legs to remain steady during the fall. It lands in the water really close to the start of the rocks, which can be quite dangerous. But it managed to cliff jump as if it were an expert. You can hear the men laughing in the background, in awe, as they watch the coyote start swimming against the rocks. It’s quite a sight to witness!

Coyote Takes Dog Paddling to a Whole New Level

The men continue on their boat as they follow along the coyote’s path. The coyote, as if completely unfazed by the massive jump it just took, keeps swimming. One of the men on the boat thinks out loud and wonders if he may be able to grab the coyote by the back of the neck and haul it up onto the boat. He jokingly says that they can have him as a pet for the day.

As soon as he says that, the coyote starts climbing up the rocks again. You can tell it’s having a little bit of a hard time, but it manages to gain its footing and starts making its way just like a mountain goat does. However, it seems unsure of which steps to take next as it looks around and tries to figure out what’s going on. It probably doesn’t help that there is a boat of people just in front of him.

It likely feels cornered. The man talks to the coyote, telling it that it was so close to the top. He doesn’t understand what happened. The men in the boat stop to keep their eye on this coyote as it again tries to scale this remarkably high cliff face. Then, the man challenges the coyote, saying “Go for it, let’s see it!” The video ends as the men move away on their boat and the coyote keeps trying to figure out how it’s going to ascend those rocks.

Is it Normal for Coyotes to Climb?

Never underestimate the wily coyote. Not only is it cunning – it is capable of amazing athletic feats like the jaw-dropping leap, swim, and rock climb in the video! Coyotes exhibit their athleticism in many ways including climbing trees, leaping fences as high as eight feet, running over 30 mph, and hooking their claws into barrier fences, and climbing over if it’s too high to jump! The coyote’s lean, muscular body enables it to accomplish more than its heavier cousins would dare!

Up Next:

• Coyote Scat: How to Tell if a Coyote Pooped in Your Yard
• Watch a Coyote Nip and Chomp a Man’s Hand When He Tries to Help It! Predator or Play?
• Coyote Spirit Animal Symbolism & Meaning