Alaska

Coyotes

We looped around the edge of Pedersen Lagoon rather than backtracking after our beachwalk over the weekend. It would have been shorter and easier to backtrack along the beach, but short and easy wasn’t the point. One payoff of the choice was catching a glimpse of two coyotes. They wanted nothing to do with us, of course, so didn’t stick around for a photo shoot.

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See the coyote? It’s about dead center, just below the snowy strip across the middle of the image, but I don’t actually expect you to see it.

We were never close to them, but let’s see if we can’t zoom in with Mike’s super-camera.

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This is coyote 1 pausing in its escape from us to look back at coyote 2.

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This is coyote 2. Note the right front paw. It’s lame.

We saw this coyote while canoeing in the lagoon last summer. We noted the bounce caused by its gimpy gait. I guess it’s a permanent injury. It had a partner last summer, too, so it seems these are a pair.

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Coyote 2 is slow and bouncy, but it appears to get on all right. I’m glad.

Categories: Alaska

5 replies »

  1. Coyotes are very elusive. Sometimes we’ll see one run across the road and when it reaches the sagebrush, it vanishes. You know it’s there, but no way can you see where it went; even if you are watching.

  2. Sassy & I saw a coyote on the RR tracks just outside of Girdwood. It actually stayed put when I pulled over to take a picture of it with my cell phone. Healthy looking critter. Sassy was very interested. Moreso than her wild cousin. It posed for a portrait then headed into the woods. Crappy picture. Cool moment.

  3. Oh, yes, Becca, I know that experience! That happens with 1200-pound moose, too. Crazy, isn’t it?

    I think what really happens is they dodge behind a tree, cross their arms, nod their heads, and disappear in thin air. Either that or they twitch their noses and disappear.