Florida Coyote

[Ira Runyan]

The coyote (Canis latrans) is traditionally associated with the American West, and many people don't know that they are becoming a common occurrence in Florida.

I have been trying to locate one to photograph for quite some time now, and today I succeeded in finding one in the area of the Moccasin Island parking lot west of the Viera Wetlands.

Although these photographs are not technically very good, I was pleased to have seen a Florida Coyote in the wild.......

It was just behind the barbed wire fence





A crop to show the face



Four clicks of the camera's shutter and he took off accross the field







One last glance back to see where I was, and he was off

[Maureen]

Ira, there are a lot of coyotes in the area where I live. We see them frequently and I am vigilant at night because I have little dogs. The coyotes recently raided a raccoon den in the vacant lot next to me - it was quite sad. And cats who roam about outdoors here don't last long. Frequently I hear the coyotes late at night and can always tell when they've captured their prey. The stop yelping so much.

I guess coyotes have to eat too, but I must say they're not my favorite critters. Most of the ones I've seen around here are quite thin and many of them look ill. Yours looks very healthy.

[dorothy]

We've had coyotes come into our neighborhood at night. You can hear them howl as the leave the area...When you hear that howl, you now it is a coyote...

Your photography is fantastic!

[Ira Runyan]

This Coyote was located in a wildlife management area where rabitts, rodents, and birds are abundent, thus he is well fed and healthy. His bigest problem is that the Duda company has a large cattle operation there, and if those cowboys see him, they will kill him. Even the wildlife officers and sherrif's agents at that location will kill the coyotes they see!