Coyote Yipps

This ten minute video might seem long by today’s 2-minute standard. Although I’ve actually cut it by half, I’ve incorporated the entirety of what the field camera captured except the long sleeping sections.

I spend hours out in nature, waiting to see the coyotes I know, and then waiting for something to happen, as it often appears that nothing at all is really going on. But of course, something is always going on, and I can figure it out if I really look for it. In this video it appears that almost nothing is going on, but in fact there’s a wrenching story.

This is a five-month-old coyote pup. At five months, developing coyotes are becoming what we might call *teenagers*, unless something is preventing that from happening. Teardrop is one of Scout’s pups born this year — one of seven pups and the smallest. In addition, right from the start I noticed her constantly wet and oozing eyes, indicating that her immune system was not up to par. So she has been challenged right from the start.

I hadn’t seen her in months and thought she might no longer be around, but then several days ago she passed by one of my field cameras, and then, magically, as if she herself wanted to share her story, she spent time right in front of another of my cameras. I’m sharing that 20 minutes (reduced to 10 minutes) here.

In the video, Teardrop approaches one of the numerous dens dug by her parents but which were never used. Until this day, neither parents nor pups had ever entered this den, though they passed it occasionally and sniffed around. I had a camera there *just in case*. Coyote parents dig numerous dens to have them ready if they are needed, say due to flea buildup or a sudden danger, but few of these are actually used.

This particular den was dug when the pups were already two months old — not before they were born! — and HERE is a video of this den being built back in June.

Since this den had not been used, of course I was surprised that suddenly was, even if not for very long. Teardrop enters the den and remains in there, emerging a full hour later. The thing to notice is how emaciated, frail, and feeble she is. I don’t have images of her next to her siblings, but here is a healthy brother of hers on the left, she is in the middle photo. To the right is her as a much younger pup.

Bolder (brother) to the left; Teardrop a few days ago in the middle; Teardrop as a small pup to the right.

I’ve put captions in the video, pointing out what is going on. I wrote my wildlife vet and asked what, if anything, could be done to help. For instance, if this were a case of parasites or worms possibly we could intervene.

UPDATE: Her response was negative: “Most worms don’t cause severe emaciation- I would think more like not hunting well, or some other more severe problem- like kidney disease or other digestive malformation. Sadly that is not going to get better just with a deworming medication.”

I’m now thinking that the watery eyes, and the way they look in the video, may indicate a problem with seeing which would lead to not hunting well, as the vet suggested. I don’t think this is something we can intervene for. If there is a Part II to this story, I will post it, but it’s bound to be a sad one.