Friday, April 16, 2010

Feral

I heard a coyote last night in the wee hours -- a definitive yelping unlike any other -- and then what sounded like distress cries from another animal, and then silence. I quickly accounted for my two cats (who rarely go out), and they were safely and obliviously sacked out at the foot of the bed. These feral canines have begun to reestablish their presence in the urban Seattle area, where greenbelts abound and there's no competition at meal-time. I saw one, once, up my street at midday: lean, with a ragged coat, and a glare which seemed to be sizing me up. It was simultaneously thrilling and eerie. It's good to be reminded of our vulnerability.

6 comments:

  1. and lets not forget little red riding hood who said to the woluff no youre going to eat me like the story says! har har more art on shelandoah blog! peace

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  2. we have many coyotes around here. the yowl and also imitate the cries of a wounded animal to attract other animals (like, what, all the deer will gang up on the coyote?). They also have this hideous laughing thing going on, which is chilling.

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  3. That yapping/screeching gives me the willies. I think some lurk in the Microsoft woods too.

    (Word verification term of the day "sublerm".)

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  4. Sean, while walking to work early one morning, a coyote crossed my path. I never took that route again.

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  5. I needed to look these up on Wiki; I knew the name but no more. They seem to be part fox, part wolf. Nice looking animal, but I can imagine them turning nasty. We have plenty of foxes in France, but luckily no Coyotes.

    Bisou, Cro.

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  6. I LOVE this blog: http://www.dailycoyote.net/index.php
    OMG, it is so good. She is raising a coyote pup (he's now 3) and has taken pics since day one........

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