1. Tip Toes. Coyotes are clever creatures. To avoid detection by predators (and prey) they often walk on their tip toes to remain as quiet as possible. Like a ninja.
2. Beneath the Dirt. When ready to give birth, coyotes dig holes to birth their pups. Also both the female and male stick around to protect the pups from predators. Coyotes also mate for life (choosing one mate for their lifetime). Now that’s true love.
3. 40 MPH. A respectable speed for a land mammal, the agile coyote has been clocked at running a whopping 40 mph. Coyotes are also excellent swimmers and use this tactic when avoiding danger. I wonder if they have to wait 30 minutes after eating to go swimming so they don’t cramp up?
4. Omnivores. Coyotes will generally eat anything they find. They eat both animals and vegetation including rabbits, rodents, lizards, birds, fruits, grass, insects, flowers, and even carcasses of dead animals if the pickings are slim. For some reason, The Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers” comes to mind.
5. Vocalization. Like its cousin, the wolf, coyotes use a wide array of vocalization techniques to communicate. Various howls, growls, squeals, barks, yelps and high-pitched cries are used to communicate with and keep track of family members and also to warn others of predators and dangers. I bet they play jokes on each other like making a “the bear is right behind you” yelp when it’s really just another coyote behind them, lol.
side note: One of the most misunderstood creatures, the coyote is often labelled as a pest and nuisance. Coyotes are extremely important to their ecosystems and are just trying to survive in the world. I encourage you to discover ways to coexist with coyotes without killing them out of fear. There is some great information on this subject at the Humane Society’s website here.
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“Everything Under the Sun (2)”
acrylic and latex paint on canvas
18 x 24 inches
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