Posted on 11/06/2004 3:37:00 AM PST by SLB
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Coyotes, the rangy animals associated with the American West, have been spotted in the U.S. capital for the first time, sparking gossip in precincts where talk usually turns on politics.
"On our way home from a party tonight, my son spotted a coyote trotting among the trees," one writer said in an e-mail group for one of Washington's tonier sections.
"One ran across Military (Road). No question, a healthy smallish coyote!" another wrote on Oct. 21, referring to a location about 5 miles from the White House.
Residents of the Washington area have reported seeing coyotes for months and The Washington Post warned last summer that household pets could fall prey to the omnivorous creatures.
But coyotes' presence inside the city limits was confirmed only in September by a naturalist on duty in the woods of Rock Creek Park.
"I suspect we've had coyotes close by for some time. We've just discovered them recently," Michael Bean, chairman of the wildlife program at the Environmental Defense group, said on Friday.
Coyotes originally roamed in what is now the northwestern corner of the United States, but have expanded their range over the last 200 years to include all of North America except the extreme northeast portions of Canada.
With its thick fur, pointed snout and bushy tail, the coyote appears similar to a domestic dog like a collie, but its adaptability has enabled it to survive where a household pet might not.
A typical coyote diet includes small mammals, insects, reptiles, fruit and carrion, but in areas like Washington where it shares its habitat with humans, kitchen garbage and pet food are likely menu additions.
It is not unusual to find coyotes in a city setting, naturalists say, and they have been spotted in cities in Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and Illinois, including in Chicago.
The real-life coyote should not be confused with the hapless cartoon Wile E. Coyote, eternal loser in his desert battle of wits with the Roadrunner, Bean said.
"Unlike the cartoon character, they're not dumb. They're quite capable of surviving in some inhospitable surroundings," he said. "If they were as dumb as the cartoon character, they would never have made it this far."
BTTT
Still do. Was the coyote carrying a very small, crushed umbrella and did it have a little wisp of smoke flowing upward from its burned tail?
I hike in CT every weekend and see Coyotes all the time. As more and more of the necessary habitat for small animals becomes available, larger animals move in. In fairly urban CT we have Coyotes, Black Bear (over 200 sighting last year)seemingly millions of deer and I have a friend in the northwest hills who swears he saw a mountain lion. He's hunted bobcat for years and knows the difference.
They have a hard time adapting to .25 caliber rifles. I am working on a test to see how they do with my new .45-70. If they keep fooling around the house as they did last night and this morning, it won't be long before I can conduct my test. They do provide sport for my dogs, though.
This is shear idiocy. What do they believe the point of the establishment of "civilization" is?!? I don't believe one of the benefits was supposed to include encouraging predatorial animals to encroach upon your families territory.
*BANG*
Shoot, shovel, shut-up and rest easy knowing you're not a leftist human-hating "idjut".
Our neighbors tie a little yippy dog in their driveway everynight and then leave the garage door up about 8 or 10 inches so it can get in. I am just waiting for them to find only an empty collar at teh end of the leash some morning.
Another person around the corner from us let her cat out one night the next morning found only a large pile of cat hair/fur in the yard. She had seen a coyote several times, but thought he would stay away from her house.
I just heard them yelping behind our home. We hear and see coyotes all the time. Fortunately, our German Shepherd ignores them.
"If they were as dumb as the cartoon character, they would never have made it this far." America person comunist kerry dork toilet "dumb" that is good :}}}} I do know what "dumb" is that is stupid kerry I am happy America president again that is good be strong America good country Dzien dobry
The we realized that there was an American Trial Lawyers convention opening the next day.
LOLOLOL........to tell you the truth, I was waiting for some name dropping of the president's enemies.
Somehow, I think your "test" will be sucessful. Many years ago, on the farm I grew up on, my Dad taught me the finer arts of ammunition enhancements that I used with satisfying results during many an evening of wildlife "viewing". What are you using to serenade them into view/range?
Wounded Rabbit?
that comunist person kerry that peson is comunist
Where it lives
The coyote can live in many different places. Coyotes are found out West, on the grassy plains, in the mountains, in the desert and in northern Canada.
The coyote lives in a den or burrow. It may dig a hole in the ground or on the side of a hill. A hole in some rocks makes a good den for this animal.
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