While we were out there discussing the ideas for the new raised gardens yesterday, this is what we saw in the neighbor’s backyard behind me…a very healthy coyote!
And while I know coyotes can jump a fence, I hope it acts as a deterent to keep him from coming in my yard!
The coyote population has really risen the last few years. As with many wild animals living in suburban areas, there is friction. So, while it really helps to keep the rabbit and rodent population under control, we have had instances of them attacking family pets. Even one incident in my neighborhood, which thankfully the little terrier survived! So we keep just a little closer watch over Daisy, and hope the coyote is too lazy to jump over my fence.
I read a great book recently about humans and animals trying to coexist, The Beast in the Garden: A Modern Parable of Man and Nature by Dave Baron. Here’s an overview from Barnes and Nobles:
You might be interested in this article in Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=coyotes-suburban-attacks
Great article. In reading a bit of information put out by a local wildlife refuge center and our local village, it seems like actual human interaction has been minimal, so the animals are staying “wild”. They give a lot of good advice on coexisting with minimal harm to either the coyote or our pets. They do make the point that they are useful in maintaining a natural level of small mammals. http://www.willowbrookwildlife.com/GuidesDetail.asp?id=9
I don’t have pets or chickens, so I wish we had more coyotes. Mountain lions would be another story, however.
Mountain lions are definitely a different story. Much bigger problem for the people and big cats in those areas.