Adorably Wild.

Coyote Pups

Jo and the Bear Tribe guys are taking care of these two adorable coyote pups. The Department of Environmental Conservations people aren’t happy about it. The prefer that wild animals like these guys be left to make it on their own or die in the wilderness.

I’m kind of torn.

First, I get it that’s how it is in nature. And basically, it’s not possible to save or heal every wounded wild creature. Maybe it’s better to let nature take its course.

But these guys. They’re so adorable. 

Anyway, Jo now believes that one of them is infected with mange because it ate a poisoned mouse or rat. She says next level predators eats rodents that have been poisoned and it wrecks the bigger animal’s immune system. Then opportunistic infections like mange and even serious blood diseases can take over. 

That really got me thinking. 

Suppose a poisoned coyote dies and something else eats its body, and then that animal or bird carries the poison. And something else eats that, and something else eats that.

I asked Jo if that’s possible.

“Possible?” she said. “That’s exactly what’s happening. We humans are rapidly poisoning the whole food chain.” 

Now when I look at the coyote pup that’s weak and sick with mange, I feel sick about what we’re doing to innocent creatures. 

Jo told me I should read The Sixth Extinction, a book about how whole animal species are rapidly dying off right now. I know I should. I really don’t want to. 

But… I guess I will.