A special look at the coyote

The often misunderstood coyote is an absolutely beautiful canine.

These wild dogs are often heard and not seen, but when they do emerge it is definitely best to avoid them, despite the fact that they are beautiful to watch.

To see one running across a field is something that’s hard to beat as far as the sights of nature are concerned, but these wild dogs and humans have a sketchy relationship.

Coyotes are beautiful and enigmatical, but you should give them their space, experts say. Read on to find out more about this mystical animal…

The coyote has been the basis of a lot of great poetry and fiction out there and there’s very good reason for that: The animal is misunderstood. So very much like a lost soul type of character in some story unfolding, the coyote is very much one in the same…a lost soul just trying to find his or her place in this here life.

"“However, the man was wrong. It wasn’t a hundred coyotes with bullhorns howling at once and it wasn’t the Devil himself. The things that had screamed that night was the soul of a shattered, hurt mother facing the loss of everything she loved, and that is something even the Devil should fear.”-Gabino Iglesias, Coyote Songs"

The coyote’s very close relative is of course the wolf, and the two really resemble one another. The coyote is still plentiful in the wild. In fact and as per Wikipedia, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature states that the coyote falls under the label of ‘least concern’ in the realm of what are known as endangered animals, which is of course wonderful news.

They are so similar to wolves in fact, that it’s actually hard for those that study the origin of the coyote to be sure which came first. One piece of data recorded by a priest going back to 1750 shows this. The man in question states that the wolves he had seen in the area were calmer than the ones of Europe…he was in Illinois when the sighting occurred, according to Wikipedia.

There are many other stories like this that lead many to believe that these “calmer” wolves were perhaps coyotes.

"“Well,’ he said. ‘I seen a lot of coyote sign down here.’‘I ain’t surprised,’ the old man said. ‘They done everything down at our place but come it and set at the table.”-Cormac McCarthy, The Crossing"

Cool coyote facts

According to a piece over at treehugger.com, coyotes are omnivores, which means they won’t just eat meat—rodents they catch—but also vegetation like berries and such.

They also mate for life. They are comfortable not only in rural areas but they too can fend for themselves in an urban environment.

And as far as their resemblance to the wolf, science proves that they are indeed part wolf, which perhaps helps explain the mistaken identity incidents from above.

So running into these beautiful creatures is easier than say running into a tiger, which is probably more of an issue in Africa and India.

According to urbancoyoteresearch.com, there are some rules to follow if you want to stay safe when encountering the beautiful but temperamental animal…

So the site states that it’s probably better not to feed them, not to let your pets be unleashed in areas where they might be, and you should never run from a coyote.

"“Coyotes have the gift of seldom being seen; they keep to the edge of vision and beyond, loping in and out of cover on the plains and highlands. And at night, when the whole world belongs to them, they parley at the river with the dogs, their higher, sharper voices full of authority and rebuke. They are an old council of clowns, and they are listened to.”-N. Scott Momaday, House Made of Dawn"

In the end, coyotes are indeed beautiful, and if at all possible regal in their countenance and composure, but watching from a safe distance is certainly best. Have you had any sightings, dear readers? And I’m not talking about UFO sightings.