Another coyote in Central Park!

[poconoron]

A long way from the ADKs, but another coyote has been seen and captured in the heart of Manhattan- Central Park. This is the 2nd time this has happened- the first being in 1999.

Once again, the Eastern Coyote has proven itself to be an amazing critter- the smartest, most adaptable and toughest animal on the North American continent.

He was captured and apparently will be released somewhere in upstate NY.

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/63498.htm

[poconoron]

Nice article on the coyotes adapting to suburbs and cities:

http://www.smithsonianmagazine.com/i.../phenomena.php

[Judgeh]

I've had the pleasure of playing a hide and seek game with two of them in my driveway a couple of years ago. Mangy, but quick and smart, they feast on small dogs, geese, etc. here on the Connecticut coast. One should not leave an infant outdoors and unattended in my neighborhood.

[Dick]

They've been in our area (Voorheesville/New Scotland) for years. You can often hear them singing at night. I've never seen them, but Joanne has. She once walked the NYMO trail near our house, and ran into a pack of them feeding on a deer carcass. One of them looked up at Joanne, maybe 10-15 feet away, blood dripping from its mouth, then went back to work on the animal. Needless to say, Joanne did a quiet about-face!

[Judgeh]

I should add sneaky, brazen, relentless and bloodthirsty to my description.

[Nessmuk]

My friend out near Watkins Glen just had her small dog attacked and carried off by a coyote this week...very sad.

[TEG]

The coyotes near my house are pretty small, I've seen a bunch running through fields along the tree line. I dont think I'd ever be worried, nor would my German Shephard.

Few days ago our local newspaper had an article about a "coyote hunting derby". Kinda upset me. Democrat&Chronicle: Coyote article

Most of the people participating in the hunt are deer hunters, and they're complaining that the deer population has been hurt from too many coyotes. I find it hard to believe that the deer are becoming scarce, anyone from the Rochester area that's been in or around Mendon Ponds park (right near my house) can testify that at any given time of day, deer are all over the place.

[Gman]

Just across the river here in Eastern Ontario we are uncertain as to what wild dog lives here. We have coyotes and then there is something bigger that nobody knows for sure what they are. They are a either a pure wolf or wolf/coyote hybrid. One things certain it's not a dog/coyote cross. Maybe they drifted south from Algonquin Park or were here all along and only with expanding prey have there numbers grown to the point where they are more visible. Maybe they are transients from up north only visiting our area in winter following the deer. We now have moose here and soon an expanding herd of transplanted elk will be here too. Beaver another prey animal is rarely trapped around here anymore.

The smaller coyotes can go through the spaces in a farmers fence the big guys go straight up and over a fence even in deep snow. The bigger ones tend to pack up in winter and avoid humans and I don't ever recall seeing them other than winter. Unlike grey wolves which kill coyotes I have seen the bigger animal in the company of coyotes. Last winter I saw plenty including a pack of at least six trying to get across the 401 (a busy 4 lane highway) to a deer yard on the other side. I doubt any other drivers saw them standing on the edge of the woods. I hit the brakes and backed up just in time to see the trailing wolf, a dark grey animal bound over a wooden rail fence in deep snow. The others casually loped away into the sparse woods before turning and looking back to me.

For years my father hunted them with hounds. Back then the big guys were rare. It was more a rumour. It was easier to shoot coyotes. The gang would get as many as 30 a season. They (coyotes) stayed in a smaller area and were easier to track. Actually they are far less decieving than a fox. When the dogs got on a wolf it made a beeline right out of the country causing the dogs to become lost for days. Often the wolf turned on dogs and ripped them up pretty good, didn't matter if it was 3 dogs or a dozen the outcome was pretty much the same. My father probably stitched up more dogs than the local vet.

As far as not bothering a sheppard if a some young ones catch him out in the open the sheppard is fine as long as he stands to face them. If he turns to run they'll bite at his hind quarters. They are alot quicker than a sheppard and alot more cunning. For some reason its usually younger ones that do this and they don't have to be very big. Most of the wounds on the hounds were in the rear legs.

I see coyotes anywhere from 22-24 inches at the shoulder and maybe 25 - 40 lbs. Others are perhaps 26 inches or more and 70 plus pounds. Are they coyotes, red wolves, grey wolves or a combination of both. I know they are in the ADK's also. I've seen plenty of coyotes there but I've seen two others that were wolves.

[Judgeh]

Did I mention "wiley"?

[poconoron]

Just across the river here in Eastern Ontario we are uncertain as to what wild dog lives here. We have coyotes and then there is something bigger that nobody knows for sure what they are. They are a either a pure wolf or wolf/coyote hybrid. One things certain it's not a dog/coyote cross.

I posted a couple of links a few months ago on the wolf/coyote hybrids- this is probably what you are seeing:

http://www.caledonianrecord.com/pages/local_news/story/fef373e9d

http://www.timberwolfinformation.org/info/archieve/newspapers/dna.html

Here in the Poconos we seem to have the 35-50 lb. coyote mainly, though every now and then larger ones crop up. I think lower Canada, New England and ADKs have a good number of the wolf/coyote hybrids. They are probably just filling a vacuum that was created when the wolves and cougars were all wiped out years ago, being seen as bloodthirsty beasts. They have their place in nature's balance, and I am thrilled anytime I hear or see them!

[DeanA]

What I want to know, is HOW does a coyote get to Manhattan? About a decade ago, there was a coyote in the Bronx which is completely understandable. But how would one get to the island of Manhattan? Did it take Metro North? I did rescue a white Samoyed from the Long Island Railroad once (it got on all by itself and I escorted it off...). I was camping up near Buck Moutain last night and heard at least 3 coyotes howling away...at very close distance. One of the rangers said this past week all the campers have been hearing them. It was awesome, but my dog didn't feel that way...

Bears have been all the way down in Westchester County this year as well.