This is one of the coyotes I’ve seen recently out at Point Reyes. Note the numerous gopher holes.
Point Reyes seems to have a healthy population of coyotes and bobcats. The same can be said throughout Marin County thanks to the efforts of Camilla Fox. In the late 1990s Camilla, with the help of other concerned citizens, convinced the County of Marin to stop the indiscriminate trapping and poisoning of coyotes to protect sheep. Not only was the trapping and poisoning inhumane, but it killed more badgers, bobcats and foxes than it did the highly intelligent coyotes. Now the County has a non-lethal coyote control program that relies on guard dogs, llamas and electrified fencing to protect sheep. The program has been an unqualified success. Camilla now heads up an organization called Project Coyote which fights the senseless trapping and poisoning of coyotes throughout the United States and Canada as well as other inhumane practices like coyote and fox penning where a coyote or fox is locked in an escape-proof enclosure and then dogs are released to kill it. It seems a bit like dog fighting to me with one side not having a fair chance. Some people actually enjoy doing this. To learn more about Project Coyote click here.
