Photographic evidence of coyote pups.
These two coal black coyote-pups were delivered by a coyote.
Submitted photo
So, just now, the sun is bright and warm across the valley. Because we have come through several days of rain, the grass is wonderfully green and the trails are ankle-deep in mud. But the phones aren’t ringing though at any moment now, the inflow will begin and the wild babies will begin to arrive.
The nursery is ready clean, comfortable, appropriate food on all the shelves bottles, nipples, heating pads. Yes, we’re ready.
Just now, though, we have only two recent arrivals – both adults, and both deserving as much attention as the tiniest, sweetest baby.
The first is a raccoon.
He was found curled up on a porch and would not move. Prodded again and again, he finally shifted to a place on the outdoor steps and then, again similarly encouraged, he curled up under the porch – and then back on it again. Obviously, he didn’t want to move.
When he was brought to us, we realized he was very old and wet and cold. We have him warm, fed, interested a little in the things around him …and we suspect his major problem is old age.
Anyway, when the weather is warm and good, we will test him outside.
The other arrival is a porcupine, who has obviously been in some sort of trouble. She has broken skin around her mouth and naked strips where the quills are missing. Whatever her battle was, she didn’t either win or lose it but she survived.
At first we couldn’t coax her to eat but she is now, stripping down pine branches, some grain and yam but eating and likely to be well enough to release when the weather is fine again.
And when the little ones of this year start to arrive and demand feeding every two or three hours, night and day.
Picture
And so I will explain this picture! A few weeks ago I told you the story of the coyote who, injured, came in to us. She was obviously pregnant.
I sat with her as she delivered her pups – each one coal black. I knew that somewhere I had a rather neat picture of some of those pups, but I couldn’t find it anywhere, so sent along the picture of one grown to adulthood.
Now I found it and I still want to share it with you.
These are two coyote pups as I said, I sat beside the mother and watched as she gave birth – and she was a full coyote – but I strongly suspect that papa was someone’s un-neutered Labrador retriever.
Anyway, this is the picture I was looking for. Please enjoy it! Believe me, mother was a coyote!
(Audrey Tournay is the executive director of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and a regular contributor to the Beacon Star.)