THIS COYOTE caught his foot in a gopher trap in Westminster and was euthanized.

A coyote whose foreleg was caught in a gopher trap near the Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster was euthanized Wednesday, according to authorities.

The wild canine was found near the cemetery and adjacent golf driving range in the area of Beach Boulevard and Hazard Avenue with the device stuck on his front right leg and paw.

A human dog trap set by the animal control officers failed to lure the coyote, so it was tranquilized. However, injuries to the animal were determined to be so severe, he was euthanized.

Sightings of coyotes are on the rise across the area, especially where there is open space. Westminster’s proximity to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station and the Joint Forces Training Center in Los Alamitos provides increases the local coyote presence.