Humans pose more danger than coyotes

Published 9:00 pm Sunday, September 11, 2005

The Aug. 19 story and photo about coyotes was inflammatory. As a naturalist and environmental educator, I found the article to be inadequate and unenlightened. And the photo of the snarling coyote was inappropriate. Since humans kill more coyotes and cats each year, why not put a snarling human face on the front page? I can only surmise that the reason for the threatening picture was to sell the newspaper. Please stop using sensationalism and just report the facts.

A few quick facts for perspective: Between 1979 and the late 1990s more than 300 people were killed by domestic dogs in the United States. That means you are 10 times more likely to be killed by a dog than a cougar and hundreds of times more likely than a coyote. It’s believed that one animal is killed every 11 1/2 seconds in collisions with vehicles. Every year, hunters kill 200 million animals, laboratory researchers kill 100 million animals and motorists kill nearly 400 million. Who needs to worry more – a coyote, bear, cougar or human? Keep your companion animals indoors away from coyotes, owls, cars, abusive humans and all other hazards as you would your own child.

Classifying this as a cougar or coyote management “problem” misrepresents what is actually happening. Trapping and hunting “problem” bears and cougars is not the answer. Humans need managing. Humans have encroached on wildlife habitat and the wildlife is attempting to adapt. We are supposed to be the stewards of the Earth. We need to adjust our behavior and attitudes and learn to live with them. It is our moral obligation to leave room for the wildlife so future generations can encounter wild animals. It will be a sad and lonely day when we can only see wildlife in zoos and fenced areas.

TERRI SPENCER

Camano Island