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Coyote looks like it’s doing backflip in snow — but photos show what’s really happening

A coyote appeared to be doing backflips in the snow, but a closer look reveals its predicament, deputies said.
A coyote appeared to be doing backflips in the snow, but a closer look reveals its predicament, deputies said. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office on X, formerly known as Twitter

A coyote appeared to be doing backflips in the snow in a Colorado photo, but a closer look reveals what’s really going on.

The animal’s back end was trapped in a wire fence above its head and front legs amid “freezing temperatures, -20°F wind chill, and snow piled knee-deep,” the Jefferson County Sheriff said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

An animal control officer spotted the trapped creature Jan. 20 in Conifer, about a 35-mile drive southwest from Denver.

Conditions were so treacherous that the animal control officer slipped and slid through the ice as he rescued the creature, officials said in the Jan. 21 post.

He grabbed a blanket to calm the critter and cut it free with wire cutters, deputies said.

“Thankfully, the coyote escaped with just a sore paw and a few scrapes,” deputies said. “The best part? A heartwarming sprint to freedom as the coyote darted off into the snowy wilds, no doubt dreaming of its warm, cozy den.”

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Brooke Baitinger
McClatchy DC
Brooke Baitinger is a former journalist for McClatchyDC.
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