Coyotes

I

So.  It seems we have new company in the neighborhood.  My human got a text from a neighbor that a coyote was spotted on our road twice on Tuesday.  Someone spotted one in the early morning hours, and someone else saw one in the early evening hours.   Apparently rumor also has it that a fox was killed by “something” too on the golf course.  Spooky.

Coyotes seem to be popping up in the news more and more.  As humans take over more and more of their habitat, they become more accustomed to and brave around humans.  Sadly, here in Nova Scotia, in 2009, a 19 year old woman was KILLED by coyotes.  That’s a pretty RARE occurrence – but it happened and raised awareness about wildlife – and being careful around wildlife.  Hence the name WILDlife.  Sometimes humans just don’t get it – but sadly in the case of this young woman – there was not much she could do.  She was hiking in a National Park.

Some scientists are actually claiming that there is a new species  - a coywolf – who is part coyote, part wolf AND part dog.  I’m thinking the dog part is not a toy poodle.  The range of this new species is spreading throughout the Northeast US and Canada.  They are even showing up in CITIES like New York and Boston!  They’ll be riding the subways next!

Of course, my human got the text about the coyote sightings at 5:30 AM – just before we went out for our morning constitutional.  In the dark.  And of course, as SOON as we walked out the door, I started to pull and stare at the woods.  I was on full alert.  There was nothing there – I just did it to tease my human.  Good one. 

But I WILL be on the lookout for any new “canines” in the ‘hood.  And of course I’m ALWAYS on the lookout for the neighbor’s cat (who had better be careful.  If that cat thought I was trouble, he may be in for a BIGGER surprise if he meets a coyote!).  Come to think of it, maybe I should be going with Paxton on walks in the future. I mean what coyote in his right mind would go after Bucket Head.  The coyote would probably think he’s a bear!  Mind you, Frodo is able to keep me in line QUITE well – so no coyote wants to tangle with him either!

Coyotes, porcupines, raccoons, foxes – quite the menagerie in our neighborhood.  Not to mention two crazy PONs and a Berner.  Who, in my human’s mind, are often scarier than all the others combined!  

© Linda Wozniak