What you don't learn about, you fear

December 11, 2007. What you don't learn about, you fear      Sadly, I am receiving numerous reports of lots of eastern coyotes being shot this year since Massachusetts extended the coyote hunting season, all to appease hunters in letting them kill more animals. This is despite Michael Vick going to jail for almost 2 years for killing dogs. I will elaborate on the sad fact of how anyone can target and kill coyotes if they want in a future post/editorial. I will also provide details of multiple gun-shot killed coyotes when I get the accurate information.  However, an email (unedited) that I received today summarizes people's perspectives on coyotes when you do not take the time to learn about them, like how to protect your livestock. So, here it is, unedited: --------- "Hello I found your website on google and have a few questions for you. First of all let me say that I am a 14 year old boy who just had his three pet chickens killed by eastern coyotes. QUESTIONS: How can you want to protect these horrible things How do I kill them When is best to see them PLEASE RESPOND" --------      My question is: How do you think I should respond? Maybe by explaining the role in the ecosystem that predators like eastern coyotes provide by being a top carnivore. Maybe that society values their wild animals and sometimes we have to protect our livestock from these animals. Maybe that these animals are closely related to domestic dogs and are also incredible smart, social, family-oriented animals that have every right to live on our planet as we do. Maybe that it is unnatural to not have a predator in an area and that we have to learn how to live with them and learn about them. And perharps most importantly, killing coyotes does nothing to reduce their numbers in the long-run unless a specific animal/individual is causing problems. Killing coyotes is usually cruel and it only potentially opens up a vacant territory for a new coyote to colonize. Finally, maybe I should explain that humans are supposedly the smartest animal on earth and that because of that label we should be able to provide non-lethal alternatives like protecting our pets and proactively trying to keep predators like coyotes away from our livestock.      Hopefully it is not too late to educate this youngster, if he is willing to listen and learn.