Coyote

When it comes to being misunderstood and hated animals, the coyote would be at the top of the list if we consider how this species has been treated in North America. In the United States, a lab called the Eradication Methods Laboratory was created to work on various types of poisons to eliminate coyotes from the continent. This organization persuaded Congress to pass a bill in 1931, which allocated $10 million to continue their work. From 1947 to 1946, this agency killed 6.5 million coyotes in the American West. This figure does not even account for the numbers killed privately and in Canada during the same period. In November 2009, the Saskatchewan government ran a program for four months that resulted in the killing of 71,000 coyotes. Hundreds of thousands of coyotes are still killed every year in North America. The reasons for this are varied, but the main factors are misunderstanding their role in nature and mismanagement.

However, coyotes have a way of fighting back. They can function as pack predators or as singles and pairs. When attacked by humans using guns or poison campaigns, they abandon the pack strategy and spread out across the landscape as singles and pairs. Additionally, when their populations are suppressed, their litter size increases from 5 to 6 pups to as many as 12 to 16 pups. So, if their population is reduced by 70 percent in a certain area, it will be back to or near its previous size by the following summer. To gauge their population in an area, coyotes use their howls and yips. If their howls are not answered, it triggers a response to produce larger litters.

Moreover, coyotes’ range has expanded due to settlers hunting wolves to extinction in many parts of North America. Unlike other predators, coyotes have expanded and thrived over the past 150 years. Moving into farm areas and cities, their diet has also broadened. Coyotes in eastern North America are larger than their counterparts elsewhere due to the wolf genes inherited from their ancestors through interbreeding. They now have the ability to bring down adult deer. I always have a soft spot for any species in nature that fights back.

Coyote

Coyotes are one of the success stories, and that’s without our help in urban centers. With little to no wolves, less snow and more and more green spaces, urban centers are a perfect habitat for the coyote population to flourish. In the wild, coyotes have to watch their backs if wolves are in the area. Wolves will not hesitate to kill a coyote. Wolves are not fond of any competition from other members of the canine family. During the winter, coyotes can benefit from scavenging on wolf-killed carcasses. But they have to be careful the pack is not around. Otherwise, the coyote will have a painful ending.

In Banff, the coyote is the predator I tend to see most often, in and out of town. No matter the season. One early morning as I was heading for work. When along the path I was walking on, I came across various body parts on the grass back of a building. Coyotes during the night had brought down a mule deer. They don’t seem to have the same fear of us and where we reside as other predators. But they do have a limit, they had fled before I or someone before me had reached the area in the dark.

The one in the picture popped out in front of me on a trail I was walking on. It saw me and realised it had to move off the trail. With me behind and other walkers making their way from the other side, there was no other option. It quickly made the decision, crossed the frozen creek beside the trail and watched me for a few seconds before heading into the woodland.

Coyote

The coyote is one of the success stories with all the urban centres, development and more across the continent. They are making a living in the largest cities to small towns and of course here in Banff. In some places coyote-wolf hybrid has been seen. But here in Banff coyote is a coyote. Many times the coyote has been mistaken for a wolf and the number of times visitors have shown me a picture of what they think is a wolf. After looking at the image I end up saying, “very sorry, but that’s a beautiful picture of a coyote”. Most will believe me and see why it’s a coyote, but there are always a few who will not. Then I end with, “thank you for showing me the picture”.

This coyote was near the road and I was watching it in my car. Just ten minutes before it was successful locating food in the snow. Here it’s moving its head to the side to listen for the possibility of more food under the snow. I had my engine off so as to not to create any competing noise. In the end there was no pouncing I was hoping for, it went one way and I the other.

Coyote

This pack of three, coyotes had quite the morning, most likely they were working on a carcass that was in the area for the previous 5 days. With no bears and wolves in the area, they had the carcass all to them. But the morning this picture was taken, all that changed. First a larger grizzly passed through, most likely with not much to chew on, the grizzly could only imagine what might have been. Then soon after a wolf pack walked through the area, the coyotes would have been smart to give them lots of space, the wolves are not a fan of coyotes.  After some time passed another large grizzly passed through the area. The coyotes howled/barked at him. He was walking ahead of this pack by about few hundred meters, who I got to see bit later. Never a boring day out there.

Coyote

On a sunny morning I watched this and two other coyotes pass by, one stopping to hunt. He tried few times but had no luck, then decided to catch up with the other two.

Coyote

I came across this female coyote by the side of the road. I stopped my car and watched her, she crossed the road and was listening for preys under the snow. She then moved forward and started looking toward another coyote, possibly her mate. It's then i decided to take her picture. She had beautiful eyes, I will have to one day get closer pictures of a coyote, to better see those eyes.

Coyote

On a cold morning I was walking through deep snow, on a tail that was not well used, following my own tracks from the day before to same energy. Soon after I noticed tracks crisscrossing mine, belonging to a coyote from that morning. Being lesser in weight, it was able to walk on the snow crust, saving energy as it searched for food. After about hundred meters, the coyote tracks went off into the woods, but five minutes later well ahead of me I spot a coyote, thinking it must be the same one as he walked over a small bridge. In no hurry, I placed my camera in my hands and crossed the same bridge I was headed for. My plans was to go straight but not before looking toward the slow moving coyote to the left of me, who was listening for sounds underneath the snow before giving me a quick look. He easily moved across the snow and was soon out of sight, I continued on the trail. 

Until next moment, 

Amar

Coyote

I came across this coyote in the morning, just before I was seeing various tracks including of a coyote. Shortly after I came across this male who came out of the woods just ahead of me and kept moving front of me. I just happen to be going in the same direction, I kept my distance until he stopped. I stopped as well and watched him as he listened for a possible prey underneath the snow just front of him. In the end no food. he then started to move again, soon he was out of sight.

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

For nature photography after patience, I would put perseverance as something you need to get the picture. The day I got this picture of the coyote, I was leaving the  town of Banff, where I could see a beautiful sunrise was about to occur, but  I wanted to take a sunrise picture elsewhere. I got out of my car and started to walk to my location, I could see in the distance the beautiful sunrise I had left behind and as I now started to run to my location I was passing other opportunities to get other mountains in the morning glow. I was determined to get the picture with the mountain I had in mind that morning. I got there in time, but the clouds moved in and blocked the light I needed. I looked around for few minutes and decided it was too late for a sunrise picture in any direction, so I started to walk to my car. I came across few birds, just as I got my camera out they flew away. Few hours later I came across three coyotes, I started to take their pictures but an issue occurred with the memory card. I changed the card but the coyotes were gone from the area. I was not going to give up, knowing the direction they were headed I got ahead of them using a short cut and this time I got a picture. 

Until next moment, 

Amar

Coyote

This coyote was wandering through the marsh/wet land area, seem to be searching for bird nests.  Hoping to catch a bird or maybe get hold of some eggs. That morning it had no luck with eggs or birds, other then startling few water fowls. 

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

This coyote look as if he approaching upon a prey, but he was just moving trough the valley when I spotted it. Slowly moved in and out of the forest, stopped every now and then to sniff and mark.

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

 There are three members of the canidae family, wolves, coyotes and foxes that  can be found in the mountains here, but unlike the other two, coyotes don't seem to get same attention when spotted.  I have been shown my shares of pictures where the photographer is excited thinking they have taken a picture of a wolf, only to be disappointed when it's pointed out the animal in the picture is actually a coyote. Perhaps it just comes down to seeing something that is common compared to something we see on a rare occasion. The common coyote is one of the success story, expansion of civilization has not affected their number and the studies indicate climate change will not have a negative effect on them as well. In the end common or rare, all species have a role to play in the ecosystem. 

Until next moment, 

Amar

Coyotes

These three coyotes were crossing a partially frozen lake. Coyotes do stay in packs, have a alpha male and a female and can have pups form current and previous year. The mating pair are generally monogamous, a bond which can last for several years.

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

This young coyote followed me for a short distance before setting his own path. Got to higher ground and then started looking into the distance as the snow started to fall. He seemed to be exploring the area, looking for food perhaps. As the snow got heavier, he curled up short distance for me and then went to sleep.

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

A coyote in the tall grass was looking for a vole to eat. It was carefully taking each step toward where it was hearing the sound of a vole moving under the grass. I quietly waited, hoping to catch it jumping into the air to pounce on the unsuspected vole. In the end it never took place that morning.

Until next moment,

Amar

Grizzly and Coyotes

This young grizzly being escorted by two coyotes, one visible in this picture. More then likely the bear had gotten too close to the den belonging to the coyotes. The two were determined but kept a safe distance from a possible charge by the grizzly. You never know what you going to see out there.

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

From a distance the coyote was walking toward me, so I got ready with the camera. As expected, as it got closer it walked around me, keeping a safe distance and keeping its eyes on me. Once around me, it continued his way to where ever it was headed.

Until next moment,

Amar 

Coyote

I watched the three coyotes cross the river. Once on my side of the river, the one closest to me in this picture was curious and started to come near me. Once it was few meters away from me, I decided enough was enough. Shouted at it, which was enough for it to run away from me. Saw all three later while heading home, this time all three stayed away from me.

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

This coyote was careful crossing the small road. It waited until it was safe, looked toward the incoming traffic and then quickly crossed when it was safe to do so. Now why can't all wildlife do that.

Until next moment,

Amar

Coyote

Three coyotes making their way across a field, this one in the lead seems to making sure the coast is clear before they move on.

Until next moment,

Amar