Trek, Far and Away, Beginning At Dusk

11 May 2013 Leave a Comment

by yipps in cars, coyote behavior, streets, trekking, trekking behavior Tags:

A few days ago, I was able to keep up with one of the coyotes I know as she began trekked at dusk.

caught a gopher

caught a gopher

She started out in a park where she found a gopher as she lingered, waiting for the day to fade. Then she headed out into a neighborhood street, with plenty of parked cars but no moving traffic. She picked up a couple of mice at the edges of driveways. She didn’t have to search for them — they were just “there”. She couldn’t have seen them. Did she hear them or smell them?  They were small and eaten quickly.

through a neighborhood

through a neighborhood

She then headed, decisively, to wherever she was going. She walked at a fast pace and kept her body high and tall — she was on high alert. She was amazingly tuned-in to her surroundings and the human world she entered as twilight set in. I’ve been told that pet dogs know their owners better than the owners know themselves. This is because they watch you all day! Well, coyotes don’t watch you all day, but they do watch us — from behind the scenes — and they learn our patterns.

middle of street

middle of street

She seemed to know where human perception lay, and that it wasn’t as keen as hers, especially at night. She knew when to stand still, when to duck down or simply walk behind a tree so that only part of her was visible — not enough to make her recognizable. Only one person saw her — amazed — “is that a coyote!” She stuck to the side of the road where she could duck into high grasses or shrubbery if she needed to — and she needed to three times, when three different cars went by. But she also wandered into the middle of the road several times, zigzagging right down the middle of it.

gopher in open space

gopher in open space

Her next stop was way down the street at an abandoned field where she hunted and caught another gopher. It took her only a short time to eat this, crushing the bones so the gopher could be consumed whole. Then she trotted assuredly onto a long church driveway. She seemed to know where she was headed. She moved along the driveway fairly quickly, stopping to sniff and “mark” in a couple of places, before climbing a hill at the edge of the church property. Here she hunted a little, but didn’t find anything.

dashing through a break in the traffic

dashing through a break in the traffic

She was now at the edge of a 6-lane thoroughfare. I thought she would turn back and descend the hill — but she waited there as the traffic whizzed by — she was hidden by the fading daylight and the darkness under dense trees. Then she took off – resolutely — across the street! “Oh, no,” I thought, “I’m going to have to watch her die”. But, as she crossed, the traffic magically parted for her. In fact, I was able to cross during the same brief break in the traffic. Her judgement and timing were excellent.  She got to the other side of the street and climbed the steep grassy embankment and was off down the next winding two-lane road. Please note that it’s much darker than the photos show — the headlights of the cars are on because they need them.

up an embankment through dense brush

up an embankment through dense brush

I exerted myself  to keep up but lagged behind because of the steep hill. When I got to the road she was now on, she was way way ahead — almost invisible in the dusk. I decided to give catching-up a try. I was able to do so because she stopped to examine and pick up some road kill — I think it was part of a squirrel. She carried it off to the side of the road where she was somewhat hidden in the tall grasses. This is when I caught my breath. She spent several minutes eating her find. She then descended from her hiding place and continued on her way, up the two lane road.  Her trajectory as I followed was in a single direction — far and away from where she began.  I wondered where she was ultimately headed. I would have needed night vision goggles to follow any further.

car headlights help me focus

car headlights help me focus

what you can see with night vision goggles

what you can see with night vision goggles

I actually tried on a pair of night vision goggles from my son’s lab. Wow! In a totally blackened room, you can SEE! What you see is a very clear and sharp black and green. I wondered how close these are to coyote night vision. Most of the daytime treks I’ve kept up with lasted anywhere from one to three hours. I’ve always assumed that nighttime trekking was a more substantial endeavor, maybe lasting all night. I wasn’t able to find out how long this one lasted because of my own inability to see. I turned around and went back.

Coyotes As Neighbors, Let’s Get To Know Them!

16 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes, video

Here’s a full 20 minute presentation I created for my/our new site: CoyoteCoexistence.Com. I began the site with a couple of friends in order to stop the trapping and killing of coyotes in Atlanta last fall.

It’s through Yipps that we connected for this project. We organized and flew to Atlanta to present the case against trapping at a town meeting. We printed a large packet of flyers and helped publicize the event. In the end, money that had been collected to hire a trapper was returned — the trapper was not hired!  This was a clear sign that we should proceed with our efforts!

Presentation Title Page

Presentation Title Page

This video is an aid for future presentations. It is cutting-edge in its unique approach, concentrating on coyote himself! A muted version will also be available for presentation by others at meetings, and so will shorter clips of specific sub-topics, such as “shooing-off”. Contact CoyoteCoexistence.Com at our email on that site for further information.

News: Happy Ending!

07 Apr 2013 4 Comments

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes, human behavior, trapping coyotes

lucky little gal

lucky little gal

Story sent from Canada:

I received a call from Animal Care and Control today.  They had picked up a coyote that had been caught in a leg-hold trap.

The guy at ACC said that he just couldn’t put her down.  So, I met him out at the rehabilitation center where the coyote is now in one of our outdoor enclosures.

Although the coyote would rather be free, at least she is still alive.  She doesn’t look as though she was hurt by the leg hold trap and she appears to be healthy.

I gave her a nice dinner for her stressful day.  Since she doesn’t appear hurt, we’ll release her soon as soon as we find a good place for her.  The bad news is that we can’t release her back to where she came from.

————–

How nice that they called you! It gives me hope to know that there are good people out there. I wonder what the story was and why the trapper didn’t get her.

I hope there is a good place for her to be released.

—————–

Of course it is her home which she is tied to: her family and territory. The ones released by Stan Gehrt tried to make it back to their homes. They all died in the process. If released too far from home, there are more obstacles — people and cars — that the coyote has to deal with.

Not only that – in her desperate search for food she could get into trouble with people and their pets!!!

——————

Someone called ACC to say that they had seen her in the leg-hold trap.  So there is another good person out there.

We do have places to release coyotes.  Unfortunately it won’t be with her family or in her own territory.  And, they don’t all make it when they are released in a new place.  I hate this, but at least we are giving her a chance.

——————

Couldn’t it be done at night – who would know?  The whole experience will be aversive enough to keep her from going into the area where she was trapped.

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Unfortunately, I do not know where she was found.  They don’t want me putting her back in the same area.

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The attached is not a good photo, but a photo none the less of our latest visitor at the rehabilitation center.  She is curled up in front of a heat lamp on a drizzly day.  She ate all of her kibble last night but neither of the rats that I left for her.  I guess she doesn’t like them if they are not alive and running from her.  She will get more kibble, rats, insects and other goodies tonight.

I am still working on getting the location of the spot where she was found.  It may take me a few more days.  Once I find out where she was found, I’ll get her released close by.

I know that she is not keen on where she is and she is afraid.  However, she is warm, has food and shelter and it is temporary.  We will get her back where she belongs soon.

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It’s a great picture! And you are an angel!!!

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I found out where the coyote was found.  I am working on a clandestine release within a couple of blocks.  Will keep you posted.

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Yay!!!

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Just wanted you to know that the coyote brought in for rehabilitation was returned to her neighborhood on Wednesday night about 11:30 pm.  I wasn’t there, but here is what was relayed to me.  She was at the back of the kennel during the drive until she got close to her neighborhood when she could tell that she was almost home.  Once the door was opened, she bolted out.  About halfway to the tree line, she turned around and looked at the person who released her.  Then she went on her way to find her family.

We all just love a happy ending.

Coyote in a Secluded Forest

28 Mar 2013 1 Comment

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes

0602 We live right next to a Provincial forest with nothing behind us but forest and mountain, we have almost invisible neighbors each side, so generally we are very in a very secluded location.

Last Winter, we noticed a coyote sitting at the edge of the forest about 20 metres away, he looked very thin and it was very cold out there – now I know that people should not feed coyotes, but my wife just couldn’t stand to see this poor fellow, so she got two fresh chicken legs and a handfull of beef offcuts and took them out to where he had been (he moved off when she went outside)

Within a couple of minutes he came back and polished off the lot and disappeared (maybe he took some back for his mate), anyway this was repeated each day for quite some time, until he would literally follow her to the feeding area a mere 3 or 4 metres behind. She would always talk quietly to him and he would stand about 2 metres from her and seem quite relaxed. Needless to say he began to look very healthy with a lovely full coat, and sometimes he will go away for 3 – 4 days and then return.

0528One day I was sitting on a planter, when I realized he was sitting just behind me (see attached photo) luckily I had my camera so very slowly I took this photo while I kept talking to him very softly – he stayed right there. Anyway my question is this; my wife took some food to him yesterday and he came right toward her and stopped about 1 metre away, then almost playfully he did a few little bounces with his front feet, his head was low and his rear in the air, then he started to eat the food – was he playing ? and was this his show of freindship ?

Incidentally we never give him any ‘human’ food only raw chicken and pieces of raw beef, I guess we love all animals and they seem to respond so well to us, including Owls, Racoons, a skunk family, and of course about 12 red squirrels !

Sincerely,

Duncan and Rosalind

============

Thanks for writing and sharing your experience — and wonderful photos. Personally, there is nothing wrong with helping animals that are having a hard time in winter as long as it doesn’t create a nuisance for neighbors.  Think of it as “rehabilitating” wildlife in the wild.  The “don’t feed” is for misguided people that are feeding coyotes that don’t need any help – that, is “hurting” the coyote.

Obviously this coyote was there hoping to find some relief from starvation. The little bounce is happy anticipation, and gratefulness for the food – this is the behavior pups engage in, when parents bring food back for them.

The coyote is also keeping a respectful distance. It’s best if Rosalind puts the food down and  leaves quickly, as not to condition it to approach or follow humans – this is strictly for the coyote’s protection.

Continue to help this little animal get over the hump.  One day the coyote will leave, and may not return…until it needs help through another harsh winter or drought. Duncan and Rosalind will both share in the blessings of the merciful!  

Mary  Paglieri
Human Animal Conflict Consultant
LittleBlueSociety.Org

Avoiding Danger: People and Cars

20 Feb 2013 2 Comments

by yipps in cars, coexisting with coyotes, coyote behavior, streets, trekking Tags: , , ,

It was dusk when coyotes headed out on their evening trek. They followed the street line at first. Coyotes, like the rest of us, take the path of least resistance. Within minutes, the one in front stopped short, stood very still and listened. Yep, although you could not see them, there were people talking ahead. Better change to a less conspicuous route.

They took a path under a thicket, following the street line, but way in from the street, along the backside of houses and apartments — it was an overgrown green corridor never used by people. Soon they emerged from the overgrowth. The dim dusky light hid them well. Nonetheless, two cars stopped to observe, and commented to me excitedly. Everyone wanted them to be safe.

One of the coyotes headed to the sidewalk and street curb, with the obvious intention of crossing the street. Four years ago, this very coyote was hit by a car and remained lame for over a month: she healed on her own. She learned from her experience and now plans her crossings carefully.

She stood there, hidden on one side by trees and by a parked car. Cars, their headlights on, passed by pretty consistently. When there was no car in view, she used her ears to get a sense of how safe it was, and when a person walked by, she hid behind a tree and was not seen. She kept waiting as cars continued to come by. Obviously, in her experience, this would not be a good time to cross. She turned around and went up the hill and disappeared from my view instead of crossing the street.

The camera has compensated for the dim light in these photos: in fact, the coyotes blended into the background and were difficult to see in the dark.

Coyotes Didn’t Do It!

21 Jan 2013 1 Comment

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes

Coyotes always get a bad rap. Their crime often is simply having been seen. And when coyotes are in the area, the finger always points to them.

For two weeks in a row, these garbage cans were found tipped over with trash all over the street. Were the local coyotes the culprits? It turns out, no! In fact, coyotes, are not into garbage cans very often. They prefer doing their own hunting.

Anyway, it was fun recording this with an infrared night-vision camera, or trap camera, made specifically for this purpose. The camera will take still photos or videos when the heat of a warm body triggers them. This here is a short section of an all-night video clip. The coyotes returned to the garbage throughout the night from about 10pm to 4am. It’s a little too long to watch, but the key points are at 15 seconds, when the raccoons pull the trash can down, at 1:03 minutes when someone picks it up, and at 1:36 when the raccoons pull it down again.

Shooing Off a Coyote: A Primer*

10 Jan 2013 Leave a Comment

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes, coyote behavior, human behavior


2013-01-01

RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Normal Behavior

Although coyotes for the most part stick to the shadows, it is not unusual to see one out during the daytime, on park trails, or on the streets.  They like grassy fields where they can hunt, and they like woodsy areas where they can take refuge.  At times they may pass through our backyards. These are within the range of normal coyote behavior. We might ask, “Don’t they know they should stay in a park and out of sight?” But how could they possibly know OUR boundaries?  Remember that humans delineate their “boundaries” very differently from coyotes: we use physical and visual boundaries which have meaning for us, such as fences and streets, whereas coyotes use olfactory ones which they create by “marking” or “urinating” along their territory’s periphery. Most of the time when you see a coyote, it will be hunting in a field for gophers, or just passing through. Most of the time, when a coyote sees you, it will flee or keep far away.  If a coyote is minding its own business, we try to leave them alone.

Eliminate Attractants

What attracts coyotes to many areas is food of any type. Coyotes are known as “opportunistic” eaters — they eat what is available. You will be inviting them into your yard if you leave out any kind of food, including pet food. They also eat small rodents such as raccoons and skunks or anything that looks like them. You will be contributing to the food chain if you leave your small pet outside and unattended. It is best to remove all attractants from your yard — this is passive medicine.

Shooing Off a Coyote In A Chance Encounter or From Your Yard

If a coyote comes within 30-50 feet of you, it will most likely be just an unexpected chance encounter, with both of you wanting to avoid each other. Coyotes are curious and may stop to observe.  Most of the time yelling or stamping your foot is enough to make the coyote hurry away — this works most of the time with most coyotes. Tossing a small stone in the coyote’s direction — but not directly at it so as to injure it — will also cause the coyote to distance itself. Do remember that coyotes seldom if ever approach people: you are bigger and brighter than they are and they know this. It is only a chance encounter which might bring you closer than expected. Conflict with you is something they do not want to engage in. However, if you have a dog with you, the situation changes — coyotes and dogs generally don’t like each other because they are competitors for the territory.

SHOOING ‘EM OFF MORE FIRMLY

How to Shoo Off A Coyote More Firmly From Your Dog

There might come a time when you’ll want to shoo away a coyote immediately and unconditionally. If possible, you should always try walking away from an adversarial or potential adversarial situation — but don’t run as this might incite a chase.  This should be your option of choice for many reasons, especially during pupping season or when there are pups around. It is best not to confront a coyote during these times because, like all parents, it will defend its young. However, you should shoo off a coyote if it is decisively approaching your dog, or if it has come into your yard where you have pets. The presence of the human alpha around any pet is important for keeping coyotes away from your pet.

My Preferred Method

One of the best ways to show a coyote that his proximity is not welcome is a multi-sensory one: take a folded newspaper and slam it aggressively, repeatedly and dramatically on your thigh as you walk decisively towards the coyote, locking your gaze on his, and yelling “Shoo! Off With You!”. The combination of the aggressively wide and big slapping movements, the loud slapping noise, your angry voice, the locked gaze, and walking decisively towards the coyote will show him 1) that you are directing this “attack” towards him and 2) you mean what you say. There is a caveat here: you MUST make the coyote move back substantially — in other words, you must “win”, otherwise the coyote could become resistant over time and he will think that you are just crying wolf. It may take a couple of repeats for a coyote to “get it”, but they do remember and will start fleeing upon seeing you. A periodic, but milder, reminder of your ferociousness will help maintain what you have taught. In any particular area, it will be the same coyotes which you encounter — they are strongly tied to their territories, and milder “reinforcement” might be needed occasionally in the future.

Technique Pointers for Firmly Shooing Off a Coyote Needs Practice & Repetition

Your “intervention” should be no-nonsense and appear confrontational. If you want the coyote to remember, you’re going to have to make the event memorable for him: throw a real conniption. Coyotes read body language. It’s all about bluffing — your bluff must be bigger than theirs. And it’s a mind set: you want to turn the tables from defense to offense mode. We all need to practice being adversarial/aggressive a little to become effective: it might help to watch someone do it to give you the swing of it. Knowledge and practice of this technique will give you confidence even if you never may have to use it.

Quick Summary For Shooing Off Coyotes

  • Use only if walking away isn’t working and
  • Don’t use during pupping season, March-August, when parent MUST defend their young.
  • DO use if a coyote is decisively approaching your dog.
  • Be as OFFENSIVE as possible
  1. slap a newspaper on your thigh loudly and dramatically
  2. walk decisively towards the coyote
  3. fixing your gaze on the coyote’s eyes — so that he’ll know it’s no mistake but him you are targetting
  4. angrily raise your voice and shout “Scat!” “Shoo!” “Off With You!”
  5. Make sure to force the coyote to move back — to claim you’ve won

[Downloadable and Printable version: Shooing Off A Coyote]

Shooing Off A Coyote: Slapping a folded newspaper on your thigh

14 Sep 2012 2 Comments

by yipps in avoiding humans, coexisting with coyotes, reactions to a human

newspaper folded over once or twice

Hey!  Slapping a folded newspaper against your thigh as you walk assertively toward a coyote with your eyes fixed on him is one of the best techniques I’ve found for shooing off a coyote who may have gotten too close for your comfort. A newspaper section can easily be folded over once or twice and carried in your pocket.

In fact, it’s not just the sharp noise which serves to deter. It’s also the flailing motion of slapping that paper against your leg which is important. It’s very aggressive. The coyote actually sees you hitting something, and that this hitting is coming his way — the coyote knows he’s next. And the bigger the flailing motion, the better. Tossing a small stone in their direction — but not at them — you don’t want to cause an injury — also works well.

Coyotes will flee as a human approaches them — but slapping a newspaper or tossing a small stone will nudge them on faster, and may make you feel more confident and in control.

I’m Pretty Sure There’s A Coyote Den In My Backyard! An Email Exchange

24 May 2012 8 Comments

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes, communication, coyote behavior, greetings, human behavior

Hi Janet — Late this morning, I am positive that I heard 2-3 coyote pups signing to each other behind our yard and the neighbors. Either way, this feels a little bit too close for comfort. They sounded maybe 50 or 75 yards away. It was definitely not the sound of average puppies… the only way I could describe it was like warbly singing, with crying yips.

Also, when I took my dog out back earlier this morning, I found fresh dog urine right next to the house — I was perplexed at the time because our yard isn’t accessible from the street, only from the back of the hill. But now after hearing the puppies, I think that one of them was in our yard.

I appreciate the majesty of coyotes, but I wonder if it’s safe to be outside with a den so close. And I worry about my dog, too, even though he is never ever unattended in the yard. My dog is large and old, but he’s still quite fiesty with other big dogs. I’m not sure how aggressive things might get with coyotes around.

I also have a large vegetable garden that goes straight up toward where I heard the pups. The garden is watered at night and morning — is it safe for me to be out there during puppy season? The top of our garden is really only about 15 yards away from where I heard them.

Sorry for the long note, but wildlife is not my expertise. My boyfriend chuckles because I run away when the trio of raccoons comes into the yard. I’m starting to feel a little trapped in the house…

Do you have any advice on safety? I would be grateful if you do…
_________________________________
Hi  –

I don’t think there is a den there. I know the coyotes that roam that area and they did not have pups. Coyotes, when they greet each other, have a very high pitched, puppy-sounding squeal — what you describe as “warbly singing with crying yips” — which often is mistaken for puppies. Please listen to recordings #2 and #5 on the Urbanwildness.com site: http://www.urbanwildness.com/urbanwildness.com/Coyote_Howling.html. There are more recordings on CoyoteYipps.com.

Please know that you are totally safe — coyotes do not care to deal with humans: you are bigger and smarter than they are, and they know it. Dogs are sometimes another story: coyotes are very territorial towards dogs, the same as they are with non-resident, interloper coyotes. If your dog is always attended out of doors, there should be no problem. If you, for any reason, need to scare a coyote away, make noise and throw a threatening caniption to let the coyote know that you really mean that you don’t want him around. If you want hands-on help to show you how to feel safe around coyotes, let me know. And feel free to contact me about any coyote issues which you are worried about. Please let me know if this has been at all helpful. Sincerely, Janet

PS: If it does happen to be a den area, I would be extremely surprised. It would mean that coyotes are there within another coyote’s territory. There is a female I’ve been following — an interloper — but I have not seen her with a male companion — she seems to be a loner. Whenever she is detected by the area’s resident coyotes, they drive her out. And, if there indeed is a den, you would continue to hear these coyote puppy sounds very frequently — probably every night. Please keep me posted! Janet
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Thanks, Janet! Your letter makes me feel better already. So helpful!

I was on your site for hours after I wrote you. Your photography is incredibly special. One of my housemates also heard the ‘song’ this morning and so together we listened to your amazing sound clips! We agreed that what we heard was a little different, so we found a clip on youtube that sounded most like what we had in the back yard, but our visitors sounded a little bit slower and more like they were calling to each other yard-to-yard. Here it is: http://youtu.be/xsQRNBm4_z4.

Really it was an amazing experience hearing that this morning, and if I wasn’t such a nervous-nellie then I probably would’ve thought to get my iphone memo recorder out (Next time I will record it, if there is a next time. . .)

Just thinking of it now — but there have been a couple nights in the last two weeks when it sounded like the raccoons might be fighting with a dog outside — there was that wet-snarly sound, growling, and a lot of screeching on the part of the raccoons. I wonder if that’s your area’s interloper?

I have to say, I have such respect for the wild life up here…to me, all dogs are angels on this earth, including and especially our native coyote friends. I will definitely write to you again if I hear or see anything. I’ll keep a journal, too. My desk faces the steep slope of our yard and I’ve got a great view on both sides — if I see anything you will be the first to know.

Very best!  Jo

PS: About your breath-taking video of Myca trying to play with your dog…you raised the most patient, loving, and well behaved dog that ever walked the earth. What a special day that must have been!

___________________________

Hi Jo –

Thank you for this wonderful email! Glad you liked the sites, but I’m especially happy that you are thrilled about your visitors!!

The coyotes may be in the area in hopes of snagging one of the young raccoons that you’ve been seeing. The growling you heard may have been a coyote confronting the mom raccoon — that may be why the coyotes are hanging around. It’s part of nature, even if it results in heartbreak. Yes, please keep a journal!  Janet

PS: On the you-tube video, those are not puppies, they are adults — that is what they sound like. Janet

___________________________

They just came back to sing! It’s a kind of quiet recording because my volume was a little low, I will try to do better next time. I can’t believe they are here again!!! Same spot, too!  High pitched greeting could be mistaken for puppies

____________________________

Hi Jo –

Yep, that’s the greeting! Very exciting!! Thank you so much for sending this to me!  Their behavior is quite different lately and I’m trying to figure out why. Also, if you do get a photo, let me know. I’ll probably be able to identify them if you get a face-on shot — their faces are as different as humans once you get to know them. If you want, I can give you a brief biography of them!

I would love it if you could keep me posted on your “coyote adventure”. And, would it be all right if I posted this on the blog? Let me know! And I look forward to hearing more!  Janet

__________________________

Janet,

I am SO sorry to bombard you with emails today, but I realize the audio recording I sent you earlier was from another email account and I didn’t even sign my name. I am just so excited to have heard the coyotes again that I’m bumbling on simple social graces.

I am re-attaching the audio so I can be sure you receive it, and also attaching  a photo of the garden with notations of where the coyotes seemed to be when they sang.

I am feeling a little protective over them now, just thinking that there might be a den — I hope the neighbors choose to leave them be, as I am. They are one of the most thrilling things I’ve ever heard in my life! Thank you for writing to me earlier, and for sharing your experiences on your website. I feel so much more at ease about my new ‘neighbors’. Because of you, Janet, I am officially in AWE of these animals! I will keep a journal of their howling schedule for your reference, too.  Thank you for sharing this amazing experience with me. Maybe we will have a chance to meet sometime depending on whether I continue to hear them singing! I think you might have some new coyotes in this area to photograph!

Jo

_______________________

Hi Jo –

You are not bombarding me, I’m thrilled about this, too! Please don’t get exciting about pups — I don’t think there are any. Coyotes would never den in a garden where you work. I think they’re there because they’ve found the raccoon. That is my hunch. But let’s see how it plays out. And yes, if it does turn out to be a den, I would not tell anyone — that’s the safest thing to do, and I will keep your secret! And, yes, hope to meet you sometime!  Janet

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Hi Janet, The coyote experience has been incredible today! Young and old…they are magnificent. I hope it continues! You’re wonderful, Janet,

Jo

__________________________

Hi Jo –

If I post your stuff I would not specify where it is — best to keep location vague. Notice that none of my postings specify place. The point is the story: that you were a little apprehensive, that you thought it might be pups and finally that you were thrilled and even got a recording. Thanks, Jo!  Janet

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The strangest thing happened yesterday…our wildlife ‘regulars’ returned to the yard. I realize I didn’t tell you that many of them had been m.i.a for a week, including the three raccoons. I truly thought my beloved Scrub Jays had been eaten by the raccoons. The Jays had been nesting in our yard, and since last week, I saw only one just hopping from high-spot to high-spot looking for the others. One day it even flew directly into my window! This is extremely bizarre behavior for our Jays, and I was totally horrified to see it distressed. BUT…late yesterday afternoon, the Jays came back AND in broad daylight one of the raccoons wandered through the yard…also very unusual. The raccoon might have been limping, but hard to tell. I do worry about the other two raccoons now…they were thick as thieves. I also hate to think of any creature alone in the world.

I bet you were right to say that it has been hunting (not a den) that brought the coyotes here.

Meantime, I’ve still got my audio recorder on the desk, just in case….

Jo

Hide N’Go Seek

26 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes, coyote behavior, coyote reactions to dogs, dog reactions to coyotes, fleeing, hiding, mischief

I became aware of a group of dogs and their walkers only when this coyote kept looking up in their direction. As the group approached, the coyote moved several times to better and better vantage points, but did not head off. As they got closer, the coyote moved over to patch of grass.  He nibbled the grass, almost as a distraction to himself, as he continued to watch the approach of the dog walking group. Was he getting nervous? One might have thought that the coyote would have hurried off rather than stick around. But no — curiosity can be powerful! Finally, when the group was about at the point where they would have been able to see him, the coyote bounded out of sight and out of harms way to a hiding place, where he remained until they passed.

Having avoided detection, and still wanting to watch them, he now ascended to another lookout, one from which he could make an easy getaway should that need arise. He still kept watching them! Was he testing his luck, or testing his ability to not be seen? They continued their walk, descending a path that circled around, and the coyote ran to the other side of the rocks to watch them as they went. The coyote remained undetected until the very end — almost. When the walkers entered a wooded area they could no longer be seen — all except an unruly dog who was lagging far behind. This dog had her eyes and nose out for the coyote — there have been plenty of previous chases by this one. Having caught whiff of the coyote, the dog went after it, and that is when the coyote finally split for good. The chase occurred  unbeknownst to the owner who had walked on ahead. I later told her about it.

Curiously Following a Leashed Dog

20 Mar 2012 2 Comments

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes, coyote behavior, coyote reactions to dogs

This coyote has, twice now, casually, nonchalantly, but curiously and interestedly, followed this dog and walker. I’ve seen this behavior before with other dogs: the coyote seems to actually pick a particular dog and walker, and just saunters along behind — trailing at 50 to 100 feet —  and curiously watching: “What are you doing and where are you going?” When the walker stops or turns around to face the coyote, the coyote freezes in it’s tracks but does not flee, or it heads for some bushes but still watches.  When the walker and dog pick up again, the coyote lingers for a moment, but then carefully follows again. After several hundred feet the exercise peters out and the coyote ducks into the thicket and out of sight.

In this case here, the walker was charmed and amused by the coyote’s curiosity towards him. He had no problem with what was happening, but did keep turning around to make sure the coyote kept a safe distance away.

If you feel intimidated by this particular coyote behavior, or if a coyote gets too close, you need to let it know that you don’t like it around. You need to shoo it off and then keep moving on. The easiest way to shoo off a coyote is to face it and yell at it to go — do this in a manner that conveys that you really mean it.  Whispering “shoo” or waving your arms isn’t going to do a thing. An even better technique is to lean down as if to pick up a pebble — most coyotes know what this means. And if you need to, really pick up a pebble and toss it in the coyote’s direction (but never at the coyote). You have not accomplished anything unless you have caused the coyote to move off, so you need to persist until it does so.

Stalled by Curiosity in the Middle of the Street

12 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes, coyote behavior, coyote living areas

Fortunately, it was very early so morning traffic had not really begun. The one and only other car that went by was going at a very low speed. Rather than run for safety as the car approached, the coyote just stood there and stared as the car passed within only a few feet of itself.

As the photos show, this coyote began crossing the street, and then got stalled right in the middle at the double yellow line. There was some odor that caught its attention and it had to check it out. But even after that task was completed, the coyote just remained close to the center double dividing line where it looked around and trotted back and forth — acting a bit confused and bewildered in that large and open asphalted space. It was in the street for a total of about a minute, but it seemed much longer than that. Finally it crossed to the other side, urinated, and then, unbelievably, it did the same thing coming back. Luckily no more cars appeared.

Please watch for ALL wild animals on all roadways. Roadkill can be prevented if we keep our eyes open. The highest cause of death for coyotes in urban areas is being hit by a car.

Youngsters Are Emerging — Please Keep Your Distance!

16 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment

by yipps in care for the young, coexisting with coyotes, communication, coyote behavior, pupping

Youngster -- about three months old

Few people will ever see very young coyote pups due to the coyote’s secretive nature and to the extraordinary care of the parents. But, then again, you might be lucky. Until now, they have been kept well-hidden, but now they are beginning to move around in wider areas as they learn from their parents how to hunt and take care of themselves.

IF a youngster sees you, it is likely to flee quickly. But sometimes curiosity causes them to peek out and watch what is going on. Or, you might catch a family on a twilight trek.

Parents can be particularly edgy at this time of year if you get too close.  If you know you are in a coyote area, please keep your dogs leashed and be ready for a protective mom. If you have a dog, it might be a good idea, for a while, to avoid areas where you have seen coyotes in the past. Dogs are the chief threats to coyotes and their pups.

It is best not to linger in their presence and to continue moving AWAY from any coyote you see. This allows them to feel that you are not after them — it allows them to feel safe. If a mother or father feels that their brood is endangered, they have ways of communicating this to your dog: they’ll put on ferocious displays to warn you and your dog off — this is their first line of defense — a scare tactic. Most of it is bluff, but please take heed, because mothers WILL defend themselves and their pups if they are, or feel they are, intruded upon or threatened in any way.

Yearling -- a year older

Coyotes are territorial, so they feel protective not only towards their families, but also towards their spaces, especially during this time when pups are beginning to explore the wider world. Coyotes treat “outsider” coyotes and dogs in the same manner and for the same reasons. Please let’s understand them and respect their needs!

Parenthood Confers Alpha Status, Not The Other Way Around, By Charles Wood

19 Apr 2011 1 Comment

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes

I am writing this post to offer some ideas about the lost alpha status theory Janet proposed as a possible explanation for why her mom coyote didn’t have puppies this year or last.  I also thank Janet for discussing this topic with me via email and for providing me with more information about coyote alpha behaviors.

My thinking is that alpha status is conferred by parenthood, that is, a coyote acquires alpha status by having children.  Consequently, to say an adult coyote lost its alpha status is to say an adult coyote doesn’t currently have children.  Lost alpha status describes an adult coyote that doesn’t have kids around.  Yet it is not an explanation for why an adult coyote doesn’t have kids around.  My thinking is that a coyote doesn’t require special status to be eligible to breed.  Instead, a coyote who successfully breeds thereby obtains the special status of being a parent.  As a parent it has the status of being an alpha to its children.  These ideas are based on newer research done on the pack life of gray wolves, research that I am generalizing to the pack life of coyotes.

The term alpha male/female as applied to gray wolves is currently regarded as simply denoting a breeding gray wolf pair whose pack members, in most instances, are the children of the breeding pair.  My understanding is that DNA analysis revealed a gray wolf pack to typically be a wolf nuclear family.  Discredited is the notion of a dominant gray wolf pair suppressing breeding among its lower ranking pack members.  Instead, generally speaking, the children comprising the gray wolf pack are simply not of breeding age.  Even the usefulness of the term alpha is currently questioned.

“According to wolf biologist L. David Mech, “Calling a wolf an alpha is usually no more appropriate than referring to a human parent or a doe deer as an alpha. Any parent is dominant to its young offspring, so “alpha” adds no information”, however, there may still be a use for the term “alpha” in rare cases involving large packs, “The one use we may still want to reserve for “alpha” is in the relatively few large wolf packs comprised of multiple litters…[i]n such cases the older breeders are probably dominant to the younger breeders and perhaps can more appropriately be called the alphas.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_(canine)

Perhaps a change is in order for the language used to describe coyote parent/child interaction.  For example, descriptively I could say “certainly mom was perceived as alpha by her two boys for two years, hadn’t lost her alpha status.  She had lost her mate and had become a single alpha mom.”  Another way to say the same thing is “mom lost her mate and was the sole parent to her boys for two years and hadn’t lost her status as a parent”.  To say it thus is to show that in this particular context the word alpha doesn’t add any information, as Mech opines.

I am also suggesting that mom doesn’t need any special status to be eligible to breed.  The idea of having to have high status in a pack in order to be eligible to breed is part of a discredited view of how things work in a gray wolf pack.  To breed, mom simply needs working equipment, a mate and some territory.  To say it another way, she doesn’t need to be an alpha to breed.  Instead, the fact of breeding successfully makes her an alpha.  Rephrased, the fact of breeding successfully makes mom a parent.  Parenthood (alpha) doesn’t precede breeding.  It is the other way around.

The same would hold true for those ‘other’ coyotes rumored to be in the area.  The other male and female needed no special alpha status to be eligible to breed.  They only needed each other, working equipment and some territory.  ‘Alpha status’, in the sense of ‘eligibility to breed’, probably never existed as anything other than human misconception.

Janet has mentioned that current literature on coyotes does use the term alpha.  I find the term useful in explaining to dog owners why my dog Holtz pushed and shoved their dog around on a first meeting.  It makes more sense to say “oh, he is an alpha” than to say that he has leadership skills.  I do think the term has utility in describing a canine that by inclination tends to be dominant among its peers.  In other contexts the term alpha may indeed carry additional information.  The context where the term seems to have become inappropriate is in expressing “the idea of an aggressively dominant “alpha wolf” in gray wolf packs” (wiki/Pack canine link above), and if extension is allowed, to coyote packs as well.

Keeping A Safe Distance And Watching

03 Apr 2011 2 Comments

by yipps in coexisting with coyotes, coyote reactions to dogs

Here is a relaxed coyote watching dogs and walkers from a safe distance in one of our parks. Coyotes are curious and can be especially so about dog activity. Interest for this coyote perked up whenever there were dogs in the distance. The more active the dog, the more intense the interest. Very active dogs running off leash put the coyote on alert for fleeing, but as I watched, this time, the coyote never had the need to run off. Some people and dogs saw the coyote as it sat there, and some were totally oblivious to it. If this had been a mom with pups, and had she been chased, she might have felt the need to chase back and “herd” a dog away from herself or a pup with warning displays or even a nip to the butt.

Most hikers I’ve spoken to have told me that they actually look forward to seeing wildlife during their walks, including coyotes. The most responsible dog owners will glimpse a coyote and then head back, rather than get any closer to one who is out: this is to prevent the possibility of any antagonism developing in the first place, especially if they know young coyotes are around.

In some parks coyote activity dwindles to almost nothing at this time of year. I’m supposing that this has to do with it being pupping season. Extended coyote family members are all busy contributing to a new family by bringing food to any new moms. But even where there are no new pups, the coyotes are keeping more hidden at this time. However, last year at this time, we noticed that for the previous year’s litter, which were a year old — “teenagers” — coyote activity continued as usual! Teenagers of all species like to be out exploring and testing their environment! It’s part of the learning experience and part of growing up!

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