Fun With An Old Found Boot

10 Sep 2012 4 Comments

by yipps:janetkessler in coyote behavior, group activity, playing

: we found a treasure

: it tastes funny

: it’s good for chewing on

: it’s also good for pulling on

: can I have a turn?

: no, it’s mine

: maybe I can pull it apart

: no, chewing is better

: let’s see what a two-foot punch does to it

Coyotes like to have fun. There is more to life than just working hard at making a living — at making ends meet. In fact, most animals are very similar to humans in that regard: they like to, and know how, to have fun.

I’ll never forget the first video clip I saw of a blackbird flying to the top of a snow embankment, lying down on its side, beak downhill, and sliding down a long icy slope. Then he flew to the top and did it again, and again! Here is a video of a crow sliding down a snow slope on a plastic ring!

Now, I look for the fun animals have, and they have a lot of it. Here, an old, smelly, tossed out boot provides fun and enjoyment for two coyotes on their twilight trek.

4 Comments (+add yours?)

webmaster - SaveSutro
Sep 10, 2012 @ 08:38:06

Oh this is a wonderful post. What a great series of pictures… and what a good use for an old boot.

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Barbara Knupp
Sep 10, 2012 @ 23:39:16

This is interesting! Guess I only think of young wildlife playing so this series of photos, offers a whole new perspective. The more I learn, the more I appreciate the complexity and wonder of nature. Now I just wonder if they smelled human on that old boot and if so would they still see it as a toy? Coyotes here seem extremely wary of the human scent.

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- yipps
  Sep 11, 2012 @ 00:47:40
  
  Hi Barbara —
  
  I’ve seen coyotes pick up all sorts of things that have been handled by humans, including balls, plastic bags, hoses, food containers, discarded clothing. Either the human aromas have dissipated, or they are not all that important to a coyote.
  
  These particular playful coyotes are full adults!
Barbara Knupp
Sep 11, 2012 @ 14:18:50

Well as I think about it, our scent is all over this farm so the wildlife are probably used to it. As long as we aren’t moving about, they may be fine with our scent. Only on that one Christmas morning, watching from a window, did I get a glimpse of coyotes relaxed – one did a quick play bow to the other. Usually, they seem very alert and determined in their mission. Guess that’s how they survive in an area where its always open season and hunters are plentiful.

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