Coyote behavior??

A couple of weeks back while I was waiting for the sunset near Balanced Rock in Arches NP, I came across this coyote that seemed just a little too friendly. He obviously wasn't scared of me; on the contrary, he was as close as 10 feet away and in no hurry to depart. I've never heard of a predator in the wild behaving this way; could it have been fed by visitors to the Park and was thus used to human presence? I spent the next 10 mins or so photographing a willing subject in really sweet light, and living through an experience I've never had before. Anyway, just wanted to share and to wonder aloud, is this kind of an encounter common amongst those who shoot wildlife for a living?

This sounds like the behavior of a sickly animal. I have heard of coyotes getting quite close to humans when they are suffering from a serious ailment of some kind such as hydrophobia or parvo(?).

 

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Another possibility is that this particular coyote was raised from a pup by humans and then either escaped or was released into the wild.

 

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Coyotes are encountered quite often where I live, and they run at the first sight or smell of humans, except for an occasional curious pup.

Sanjoy, I would agree with Don in thinking that the Coyote was sick. I've been to the Moab/Arches area many times and have never seen a coyote. THey are one allusive predator, if you're looking to get photo's of them, get a telephoto (300mm or greater) and go to a sporting goods store and purchase a coyote call which similates an injured rabbit's shreak; trust me, if there are coyote's around they will come.

 

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Another answer may be that the Coyote was very hungry and contemplating eating you, haha, seriously, it may have had some kind of eating disorder, or may have been really old. When you get the pictures back, why don't you scan one and post it here, we may be able to tell it's condition from it's appearance. Normally a coyote won't get within 1/4 mile of human's when healthy.

 

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Also, you say you were in Arches National Park which is where the Wiley Coyote/ROad Runner cartoon is filmed, so it could have been Wiley. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Anyone who has been to Arches and seen the road runner show would know the amazing similarities in terrain.

Some months ago I 'met' a coyote on the road to Glacier point in Yosemite Ntl Park. This guy was acting like the one you spot in Arches, ie: approaching very very close (less than 10 feet away) and waiting. I think easy food given by stupid tourists should be the reason why some wild coyotes are approching humans with no fear at all. Maybe some disease... I am not a specialist for sure, but food seems to me the most common reason. BTW, wild coyotes in Arches are common (antelope and rabbit too), but rarely seen, you were lucky this day to shoot one. Vincent.

Probably sick or habituated. I don't know much about coyote behavior

in Arches, but in Yosemite for example, habituated coyotes are not

uncommon, especially in the valley. On the other hand, the coyotes

I've photographed in Rocky Mountain NP and Yellowstone NP were much

more wary and difficult to approach. In Yosemite I had one follow along with me on a hike for a while. I assume it was looking

for a handout, not thinking of me as lunch! In general, coyotes are

not a threat to humans, though there have been reports of them

attacking very small children and pets in urban areas.

 

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Nice critters, glad you got to spend some time with one.

As a followup to my original post; the animal looked a little skinny but did not appear to be sick or injured. Its behavior wasn't threatening and I never got the impression that it might be thinking of me as supper :-) Like Bob mentioned, I got the strong feeling that it was just looking for a handout, and that it had probably been fed by humans in the past. It might also have been Wiley (of aforementioned road runner cartoon fame), but it wasn't carrying any ACME gizmos with it, so I can't be sure :-) I have got my slides back and some of them have turned out beautifully (E100SW pushed a stop), and if I can cut through the red tape at the University Computing Facilities I will post one or two here.

Hmmm, I just returned from Moab and saw no coyotes in Arches or anywhere - sure you didn't take it home with you as a pet? :)

 

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Habituated coyotes aren't that uncommon where they're protected. I'm surprised that there'd be one looking for a handout around balanced rock as it's a long distance from the campground (where most habituation traditionally occurs in parks and the like).

 

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Anyway, those who think that healthy coyotes always keep their distance from humans should visit places like Yosemite. While an old animal is one possibility, along with potentially a sick one, young animals are probably most likely to be curious and hungry enough to approach. Kid critters are often not very good at the job of life - as one who bands raptors every fall, I get first-hand exposure to the reality that adolescent wild animals are klutzy just like human teens, reckless, curious, and prone to accidental death or injury.

 

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Bosque del Apache NWR is one place where I've seen coyotes which are habituated to people in cars, but not to being fed. They behave much like you'd expect non-persecuted wild animals to act, generally they keep their distance but also at times getting close. Last winter, I had three walk up a road, then past my car as they stalked a small flock of sandhill crane. They came within five feet of my car which they appeared to use as a screen to hide from the crane (which they chased but failed to capture). Later I saw one up the same road carrying a dead coot, which trotted quickly away from me, glancing over its shoulder all the while. Probably thought *I* was looking for a handout! :)