I was heartened after last week’s post to see so many people concerned about the well-being of Bunny, the no-tail coyote. When I see her, I sometimes hear people behind me worrying that she is not getting enough to eat or that she looks small. Some suggest it might be a kindness if she were trapped and relocated to a forest somewhere. Research shows that relocation has a high failure and mortality rate for coyotes.

Coyotes don’t celebrate Halloween or wear costumes to represent their fears, but if they did, they’d have plenty of material to work with. For the most part, humans would be the source of the scares. It’s baffling how some people, with all the available knowledge, technology, and adaptability, can still be so terrified or hateful toward these canids. Yet here we are. Some resist anything that challenges their ultimate goal: to eradicate coyotes.

Many who follow wildlife in Toronto will recognize the coyote with no tail, known as “Bunny” to some. For well over a year, she has travelled across the city, rarely staying in one place for more than a few days. One day she might be seen in Colonel Sam Smith Park, only to appear in High Park the next. She has travelled up to ten kilometres a day, making it nearly impossible to predict where she will show up next.

As humans, we can help address challenges for coyotes by taking the time to understand them, rather than repeating the propaganda and misinformation that often flood social and traditional media. While we may not comprehend every thought or motivation, we can recognize that they face challenges, empathize with them, and work responsibly to coexist. This also means people should refrain from writing social media posts about coyote sightings that use an alarmist or overly dramatic tone. Coyotes are important residents in our communities.

n the topic of vehicle strikes and wildlife deaths, this one was hard. I’m appreciative that I had a few sightings and got to know him ever so slightly, but saddened that his life was so needlessly short. I only began seeing him in the spring. He seemed young and travelled with a grey companion, always trailing her. She was more accustomed to navigating the park and less skittish than he was. If I spotted them, she continued on her way while he moved into the bushes to avoid being seen. With his dark colouring, he was nearly impossible to see when obscured, as his fur matched the dark spaces between the leaves. My last sighting of him was in the week leading up to the Victoria Day long weekend.

A coyote was killed by a motorist a couple of weeks ago on Parkside Drive. I rushed over when I heard and was saddened to find a beautiful coyote, now deceased, tucked under a guardrail. I don’t know if she had a companion travelling with them or a family waiting for them to come home.

he High Park Movement Strategy is seeking feedback on recent changes to High Park, many of which are harmful and stressful to wildlife. In this photo sequence, a coyote stepped onto the road, saw speeding cyclists, and quickly retreated. In another photo, a coyote crossed only to be faced with a group of racers. I’ve also watched coyotes dart into the road only having to avoid large groups of cyclists. With off-leash, untrained dogs often chasing wildlife, it’s easy to imagine a coyote forced to cross a road to escape. I know turtles have been killed, and I’ve seen several squirrels and chipmunks struck.

Coexistence is a mindset—one that means adapting our own actions to acknowledge that we are not the only species living here. It requires empathy toward those who do not speak our language or follow our laws. It demands that we learn about and respect the species around us in our more-than-human city.

Who would our wild neighbours vote for if they had the opportunity in the upcoming Ontario election? They want many of the same things we do: freedom from persecution, the ability to live in safe, clean environments, and the opportunity to raise their families in peace. If animals could vote, they certainly wouldn’t support what’s happening now.

As someone who spends a lot of time in parks, I witness my fair share of unfortunate incidents. One persistent problem I have observed for as long as I’ve been photographing wildlife is off-leash dogs running out of control.

When I encounter a coyote neighbor, it brightens my day. I feel fortunate to catch a glimpse of these elusive canids and to know they are out there in the fields, ravines, and forests, living their lives.

In early 2022 an succumbed to rodenticide poisoning, leaving her longtime mate to mourn for months—hooting all day until his voice cracked.

A video of the LDD infestation in High Park Toronto. https://youtu.be/2zo14UJj70k

Look here for future writing on nature, photography and cats. In the meantime please enjoy this photo of a Black and White warbler.