Animal Control Hatcam - Injured Coyote Capture

Coyotes are a common sight in the area where I live and work. You would be hard pressed to find a more adaptable wild animal in the United States today. Once limited mostly to the Soutwestern states, the Coyote is now found in all the contiguous states and Alaska. I read somewhere once that there are more Coyotes in the State of Texas today, than there were in North America when Columbus landed.

There have been coyotes in Downtown Chicago, New York's Central Park, and most other urban and suburban cities in the US.

This population surge is due to the reduction in the population of wolves, a chief competitor, as well as the spread of mankind. Coyotes have learned that man and his settlements provide much more easily obtainable food than the natural environment does. Efforts to eradicate the coyote from specific areas is almost always a dismal failure. You can destroy a TON of coyotes, and they will just double their reproduction rate. When you combine that fact with the influx of coyotes from surrounding areas to fill up any voids left after thinning - you're right back where you started from, if not worse.

Coyotes don't normally pose a threat to people. When injuries to people do occur from Coyotes, it is almost always directly related to some person doing something stupid - either during or leading up to the incident. Coyotes will, however, prey on domestic pets if they get the chance to.

Opinions vary on whether its a good idea for coyotes to live in such close proximity to man. There are good arguments on both sides. Some say they should be left alone, since they are "a part of nature" - and that's true. Others say that its foolish to put domestic pets at risk, since Coyotes will occasionally become bold enough to jump into fenced yards to snatch up a tasty looking cat or small dog - and that's a valid concern as well.

I stay out of that argument as much as possible. My job is to deal with them when they either become a problem, or when get into trouble themselves. One thing that I am convinced of though, after watching suburban coyotes in this area over 15 years: Living in town may be "easier" for coyotes, but it very seldom has a happy ending for the animal. If you count success of a species strictly by population and reproduction - town coyotes are very successful. If you count success by the longevity and over all health of the individuals - town livin' sucks.

This week, I reponded to a report of a "rabid" coyote in a new residential neighborhood under development. I shot some hatcam footage, although my batteries decided to crap the bed off and on. This guy's fate is similar to many I've seen over the years. Suburban coyotes fall prey to vehicle collisions, diseases from contact with domestic animals, and diseases from elevated contact with other members of their own species.

Here is how he looked when I arrived:

Coyotes will typically curl up like this when they don't feel well. If he were healthy, his head would have been upright. At this point, he's trying to disappear into the grass. I took this shot through my truck window, since they will usually let people approach closer in vehicles than on foot. Once you exit the vehicle, though, they will escape by walking/trotting/running away along one of several pre-determined escape routes. Often the escape route will involve a nearby creekbed. This guy wasn't able to move quickly at all, though, due to his condition.

A word about the video below. I post is because this is the type of stuff I do on a daily basis and some might find it interesting. I'm not an animal "activist". Neither do I think all coyotes should be wiped out. There are people who will get all emotional over a sick coyote and scream that we should take extraordinary measures to try to save each and every one.

Usually those folks aren't around when something actually needs to be done, though.

I live in the real world. I do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.