A fellow homeowner emailed yesterday to share with us photos he took of a pair of adorable coyote pups he has seen lounging in his backyard and the greenbelt. These guys are just one example of the many different types of wildlife we are fortunate to have residing in our greenbelt. Apparently, he has also seen the mother coyote and an additional pup— mom and three pups, for a family of four.
(click on the photos to open larger images)
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- Coyotes cubs seen in the greenbelt area
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- Coyote cub in homeowner’s backyard
Although these pups are very cute, we ask folks to keep their distance and remember that they are wild animals and should be treated as such. You should also never feed wildlife (including squirrels and birds), leave pet food outside or garbage where it can be gotten into because it not only makes them dependent upon humans for food, it brings them into an unnatural proximity to people, which is bad for both species. Homeowners should also be reminded to be careful with their cats and small dogs by keeping them in fenced in yards, close to home and avoid letting them roam into the power line right-of-way or greenbelt.
Some homeowners have expressed alarm with the fact we have these and other large predatory animals in our greenbelt, and so close to our development. We wish to remind them, and everyone, that we are fortunate to be surrounded by an undeveloped up-hill wetland, which means we will always be a community surrounded by the beauty of nature. The enjoyment and beauty of these surroundings also comes with hazards and responsibilities. The hazards include encounters with wildlife and the occasional tree, the responsibilities, as explained above, include observing the wildlife from afar and being responsible stewards of our undeveloped areas.
We wish to thank Josh for sharing the photos with us!