Summary:
We are constantly shifting the surroundings where many wildlife species live. Some species have certain habitat necessities and they are becoming extinct, while adaptable ones are continuing to grow. Coyotes are popularly known for being sly and can live up to the constant change of a region. Coyotes initially have taken the southwestern U.S., but they spread all through North America in the past century. In 2005, coyotes were guilty for 60.5% of an estimated $18.3 million in sheep losses. Coyotes have killed sheep and goats in North America ever since domestic species were introduced. People have been trying to minimize the coyote’s population. Each pair of coyotes creates about six spare young coyotes per year. Organizations suggest that more than 70% of coyotes have to be removed from a population within many years in order to actually reduce a population. If only certain methods were allowed, such as completely getting rid of, killing, or destroying, the coyote population will solved. But as a result, the coyotes are not going anywhere for some time.
Coyotes are able to adapt to different environments much more quickly than usual animals. They will alter their movement and space use in reaction to humans, and they will also hurriedly adjust to alter in prey resources and sharing. Coyotes are unique, with different responses to different management methods. Their unpredictable behavior, however, also makes their organization more difficult. Not all coyotes are evenly vulnerable to all management methods, no distinct approach will always be victorious.
Reflection:
I have never seen a coyote before and am still wanting to. I understand why organizations would want to kill coyotes to help minimize their population, but it just seems like an awful thing to do. Since coyotes are so adaptable to their different environments, maybe the other types of animals could follow the coyotes “techniques.” Coyotes have never struck me as an immensely populated species.
Questions:
How else do you think we could get rid of these coyotes?
What do you think we can do to help prevent killings of our farm animals?
Do you know of any other species that can adapt as quickly as coyotes?
If rearranging an environment causes so many problems with animals being extinct and increasing, why do you think we still do it?
http://www.actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/shivik.html
I never knew coyotes were able to adapt that quickly to any environment. I did hear that foxes were overly populated but I only ever saw a few foxes. It is also surprising that coyotes were the cause of that much money lost in sheep deaths. I believe that trying to decrease the number of foxes is the right thing to do if the are over populated but I don't think people should decrease the population that much to basically becoming endangered. I think we should just decrease the population just enough so that it is a steady population. I believe there is no 'right way' to get rid of coyotes just more helpful. Another way to get rid of coyotes could be to trap them first in an open space yet restricted to go beyond certain limits and then figure a way to somehow decrease the population.
ReplyDeleteAs also never seeing a coyote in person, it is odd to me that coyotes are so populous. Obviously their ability to adapt relatively easily to most climates is a big factor in the explosion of their population, and i think that we should just move them to a selected area (which should be easy to find) and contain this species without actually harming them. This will also solve the problem of coyotes killing farm animals that are needed for farmers to make profit. This may not be realistic now, but if this becomes a huge issue than maybe in the long-run this will be necessary. - Quinn O'Donnell
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, I had no ideas coyotes were evn a problem. I also have yet to even see one. Killing off coyotes seems like the only way to solve this problem. However, this doesn't seem legal, aren't there laws prohibiting things like this? Although that solution sounds very cruel, but if it's going to save many other animals then it's worth it. There has to be other ways to protect farm animals though. Investments should be out into building higher fences to keep coyotes out instead of killing them. This reminded me of the article about cockroaches that we read in class recently. It is amazing that some species have so much trouble adapting when other animals, such as coyotes or cockroaches, can make adaptions so quickly. Even though it causes so much harm, we continue to rearrange the environment because when it comes down to it, the human race is the most important. We all care more about ourselves than any other species, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. I feel that if rearranging the environment is what we need to do to move forward, then so be it.
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