I didn’t really think about this until Deby said something about it a couple of weeks ago but there haven’t been very many visible coyotes in Yellowstone this summer. I don’t expect to see them every day or even every week. I also see more than I film as those guys can move when they want to. I have only seen 3 or 4 since April and this is the only one I was able to photograph. But it is a pretty one so I guess I should be happy.
Coyotes have been persecuted by humans for a long time but there are more of them today than there were 200 years ago. Since they have way less habitat than they did then that is quite an accomplishment. Part of the reason they have survived is that they don’t have as many predators as they used to because we have wiped out most of the wolves and bears, but it is also because they are smart. If they find their habitat being destroyed by a new housing subdivision they move right in and start eating dog food ,or the dog if it is small enough.
I will never forget driving west of Houston a number of years ago on Interstate 10. A coyote came out of the brush to the north and walked to the edge of the 2 west bound lanes. He looked to his left and waited to cross when there was a lull in the traffic. He calmly walked across the median strip, looked to his right for east bound traffic, and then safely crossed. He knew that all of the cars in the first two lanes were going east and the ones in the second two lanes were going west. He never wasted time looking both ways before he crossed.
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After seeing them raising their pups on Mormon Row earlier this year, I have a much better appreciation of them. Fine story and photos!
Gorgeous coyote! And thanks for pointing out the difficulties that they face. Great story about the coyote crossing the road. They are smart animals and I admire them as well.