Two days ago I reported on a seriously injured coyote on Antelope Island and said I’d keep you updated if I encountered the animal again. Yesterday morning I did just that.
If you didn’t see the original post you may want to check out the last two images here.
We found that animal and two buddies near the marina just after sunrise. They were resting in the grass, perhaps in anticipation of another hunting foray out onto the 7 mile long causeway which begins nearby. The injured coyote is a little hard to see here but look for its ears sticking up out of the grass between the other two coyotes.
The injury to its snout still looks severe but to my eye it does seem to be healing slowly.
There’s been some speculation that this coyote may have been kicked by a bison rather than injured in a fight with another coyote as I originally suggested. There’s many possibilities as to the source of its injury but I’m still leaning toward coyote aggression, partially because of this deep gash in front of and below its left eye on the other side of the snout from the more serious injury. The gash is looking much better now than it did three days ago.
Surprisingly it appeared that the gash bothered the coyote more than the ghastly wound on the other side. It attempted to lick the gash often in the few minutes I was nearby…
but I never saw it attempt to lick the wound on the other side of the snout.
But this last image is the one I thought was most interesting from yesterday.
Most of us have seen the teeth of our domestic dogs but how many of us have ever had this good of a look at almost the entire dentition of a wild (yawning) coyote? I was lucky to get light inside the mouth because the sun was very low and the direction of light was just about right. I find myself looking at this image and imagining all the voles, rabbits, insects, falcon leftovers and large mammal carcasses those teeth have dealt with. I’ve seen coyotes eating things that seemed pretty disgusting to me and the variety of what they consider to be acceptable food is seemingly endless.
I’m especially impressed by the cutting molars (so very different in shape from ours) and those long, sharp canines. Those fangs could do some serious damage in a coyote fight. I also notice that several of the upper incisors are apparently broken and the upper right canine seems to be discolored while the other three are not.
This last photo is a very large crop but I couldn’t resist posting it because it allows some intimacy with a coyote that doesn’t happen every day.
Ron
PS – Sorry about the lack of image techs (camera settings) but I just ran out of time this morning.
I was struck with how well their fur matches the weathered grasses. Obviously they belong right there!
I agree, Mikal. Cryptic coloration personified.
PS. I would suspect those of us who love your bird photos love your other wildlife photos as much…including beautiful landscapes, skies, rocks and animals, etc…the whole natural world….so no apologies needed.
Thanks, Patty. I’m absolutely skill-less at taking landscape photos but sometimes my subject bails me out.
I’m glad to see that this guy is apparently doing better. I always root for the coyotes – except when I’m watching roadrunner cartoons, which I have been for the last couple of days because my husband bought me a DVD of them for Valentine’s day. And even then I have to admire the coyote…
“I’m watching roadrunner cartoons, which I have been for the last couple of days because my husband bought me a DVD of them for Valentine’s day.”
I absolutely love that, Susan. I wonder if anyone else on the entire continent got the same Valentine’s Day gift.
That poor gellow looks like his persuit of food has been pretty darned tough on him!!! A real dental nightmare! The missing teeth(top right) do look like they may have been kicked out. Others look worn down. He may eat “fast food” , but has to be fast enough himself to catch it, quick enough, strong enough to handle it, and lucky enough to survive the encounter. No Whoppers or Big Macs for him!!!
The more I watch coyotes the more I realize what a difficult life they lead, Patty.
These images are great as usual! I agree that the wound looks like it would be between two coyotes, but what do I know. I just think that these images are a wonderful progression of the story of Antelope Island. Many thanks!
Thanks very much, Dick. I was afraid I might be overdoing coyotes of late but I did promise to update if I could…
Ron, for those of us who appreciate coyotes, there is no such thing as too many images of them.
Good, I’m glad to hear that, Susan. I’m in the same boat…
It’s tough in the wild. I sure hope the wound heals completely. Such beautiful animals. Thanks Ron.
p.s. The last picture reminds me of Little Red Riding Hood. The kid in me comes out now and then.
“The last picture reminds me of Little Red Riding Hood”
“Ha!, you’re right, Jean. “What big teeth you have”. Nothing wrong with the kid coming out. Some folks have lost all contact with their previous selves…