This coyote was waiting for a handout from tourists at the entrance to Scotty's Castle in Death Valley. I snapped this picture but did not feed him. The last time I was here was five years ago and a coyote was begging then, but down the road at the Mesquite Campground. Some misguided park visitors feed these animals. They don't know if a wild animal becomes dependent on people food it can forget how to find food on its own -- not good for survival.
I saw a similar (if not the same) coyote in December about a mile east of the castle. It was moving slowly and warily in the road, at first appearing sick, but it must have been panhandling. Hope it didn't get hit by a car later.
ReplyDeleteSure, they are wild, but they are clever and as appealing as any domestic dog. Apparently smarter too, not having certain instincts bred out of them. People who shoot random coyotes for fun are evil.