DALLAS, Texas — A North Dallas resident captured a rare and intense wildlife encounter outside his home, witnessing a determined opossum face off against a coyote on his front lawn in a classic David vs. Goliath matchup.
Michael Crow, who lives near Walnut Hill Lane and U.S. 75, was preparing for bed when he noticed some unusual movement outside his window on Jan. 25. “I saw what I thought were animals that looked like they were almost dancing,” Crow said.
After a closer look, he realized he was witnessing a standoff between an opossum and a coyote.
“That possum is badass,” Crow said. “He was going to do whatever he needed to do to stay alive and survive.”
Typically, opossums resort to playing dead when threatened, but this one held its ground against the much larger predator. Crow, watching from inside his home, felt compelled to intervene. “Then I realized that if I didn’t do anything, I was probably going to have a murder scene in the front yard,” he said.
Crow opened his front door and made loud noises to scare off the coyote. “I yelled, screamed, and clapped my hands. Luckily, the coyote took off,” he said.
Urban wildlife biologist Rachel Richter of Texas Parks and Wildlife told WFAA that was the right move, noting the unusualness of the encounter. It’s a really cool video! You want to make sure coyotes maintain a healthy fear of people.”
Coyotes are highly adaptable animals that thrive in both rural and urban environments. However, their habitats are shrinking as North Texas expands, leading to more frequent encounters in residential areas. They survive on a diverse diet that includes smaller animals, fruits and even garbage. To help reduce interactions with coyotes, experts like Richter recommend securing trash cans, keeping pets indoors at night and avoiding feeding wildlife.
While Dallas Animal Services has not reported an increase in coyote sightings in the area, mating season is underway, meaning North Texans may see them more frequently.
As for the opossum, it stood its ground even after the coyote fled. “The coyote did not return, but the possum stayed right where he was, right by that lamppost, for probably another 30 minutes. He did not move,” Crow said.
Who could blame it? No one likes to move on from a major upset.