The May 14th, 2016 edition of the Coyote Cam focus was directed at a blind, pregnant female Coyote struggling to survive. Only the intervention of a human saved the dying pregnant Coyote. The blind female Coyote gave birth to five puppies which are to be released back into the wild. Saving dying Coyotes and releasing young Coyotes into the wilderness is contradictory to every Coyote Cam story to date. Without fail, most if not all humans see the Coyote as a threat to their livestock, family pets, and oh yeah – children. Why then does someone need to intervene and prevent the death of a blind and pregnant Coyote?
Most readers will note that the Coyote Cam centers on the history and survival skills of the Coyote in rural wilderness, suburban and urban settings. In the wilderness nature’s law prevails whereas in suburban and urban localities nature’s law gives way to what we humans decide is best. Most human dwellings require green grass and flowers around homes and yards. Flowers are a thing of beauty but secondary to that, they also draw butterflies and hummingbirds. To further enhance our outdoor enjoyment we hang bird feeders around the yard hoping to attract song birds and in a few cases we even put out bird baths. There is no argument that these feeders do attract birds and sometimes, squirrels. Unfortunately, squirrels, mice and rabbits are attracted to the seeds dropped to the ground by these backyard feeders. Squirrels, rabbits and mice are a buffet to a hungry Coyote! All too often these same feeders are inside the fence where the family pets eat and play. It just doesn’t get any better for a Coyote, food and (remember the bird bath) water all in the same location! Lets not forget that most humans are complacent in the fact the backyard is a safe place allowing children to play unattended.
Conversely, Nature has a rule that perpetuates and improves life in the wilderness and that is that sick, young, old or injured animals provide sustenance for other wild life. An animal carcass provides meals to all species of wild life, scavengers even include other Coyotes! Conversely, the suburban / urban Coyote has developed survival skills based in part on the inattention of humans. Humans, intentionally or unintentionally, do little to protect their home environment against animal intrusions hence Coyotes find easy access to food and shelter. Every one complains when neighborhood dogs tip over garbage cans but was it really a family pet that did the deed? Coyotes can push over garbage cans as easily as the family pet!
Reviewing the week’s national media Coyote postings, two interesting articles appear. The first is from Newport Beach California which reveals its Coyote problem was bad enough in August 2015 that citizens threatened to take matters into their own hands. The authorities stepped in and currently are attempting to establish a prioritization monitoring system whereby Coyotes posing a sever threat are terminated. Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the country, Sterling Heights Michigan residents are seeing Coyotes in residential areas. Alarmed citizens are being told by the Police Department there to use all possible precautions to avoid a direct encounter with the varmints.
In the last Coyote Cam posting we find a human seeking ways to save a blind and wounded rural Coyote. Did the well intentioned person of the previous posting intercede in “Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection?” Let the rest of us know how you feel, leave a comment. Stay tuned- there is more to come on the Coyote Cam
Coyote Cam 
you write really good Max!
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