The province of Nova Scotia’s NDP government is set to announce a bounty on coyotes today. It doesn’t seem like Natural Resources Minister John MacDonnell has been informed about the questionable effect of coyote bounties. Surprisingly, his own department’s website offers the following in its FAQ section on coyotes:
Why don’t we put a bounty on them, or cull them to reduce the population?
Bounties do not work. Bounties have been tried across North America without success. It is almost impossible to remove all animals or even to keep a population in check. A bounty instituted in Nova Scotia in 1982 was removed in 1986 when it was apparent that there was no impact on coyote populations.Ref: http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/nuisance/coyotes-faq.asp#8
Last year, members of the Trappers Association of Nova Scotia caught 1900 coyotes (approx. 25% of the total population) without a bounty. You’d think they were lurking behind every tree. Nevertheless, some people have complained of coyotes hanging around playgrounds in neighborhoods bordering woodlands. But could live traps not be used in such places?
Will traps set for coyotes in the woods mean that pet owners will have to worry about their dogs and cats possibly getting nabbed in them? Will hunters in the woods keen on acquiring as many bounties as possible prove a hazard to hikers?
Last fall, a woman was killed by coyotes while hiking in Cape Breton. More recently, a woman fended off a coyote that grabbed her by the leg while hiking in Lunenburg.
For more information, see
Coyote Problems in Nova Scotia
Coyote Bounty Coming and N.S. Reveals Coyote Cull (The Chronicle-Herald)
Government double-speak….one of my few pet peeves. Strange way to celebrate Earth Day, hey?
Cindy, the government is under a lot of pressure to do something. Anything. But that’s no excuse. I’d expect the Minister of Natural Resources to come up with a more insightful and beneficial solution than that.
Some of your ideas sounded good – humane also. We deal with the same thing with wolves (Have I said this already? There’s that distractibility again…)up here – I’m usually in the minority with my liking of having wolves in the natural balance again.
It’s been suggested that one of the reasons why we have a coyote problem in Nova Scotia is that we’ve killed all the wolves that were here originally. Coyotes aren’t native to Nova Scotia, but have entered our province to fill the wolves’ place in the ecosystem.
How does the province treat other `non-native`, invasive or alien species?
Ekphrasis Studio, the province doesn’t seem to be too concerned with non-native species. I know that in some countries, non-native species are regularly culled.
I like the title of your post. When I heard the news this morning, I had to laugh at the irony (is that irony?) (I even thought, I wonder of Flundrum Hill will write about it?) Anyhoo, I think the goverment is just trying to appease it’s people since so many think it’s the solution, even though the biologists are saying no. It seems, we predators, do not like other predators; we can’t co-exit. We think we have a right to walk wherever we please without having to think about it or be responsible. We don’t want predators in our backyards, and then we complain about the deer problem! (and an increased deer population provides more food for predators, thereby increasing their numbers, and so the circle of life flows).
Grace, yes it IS irony.
You’re right about us not wanting ‘other predators’ in our backyard. We want to live in the country but we don’t want it to be the least bit dangerous or too wild. Subdivisions often develop so quickly that wild creatures have no place to turn.
The best solution would likely be one that takes a multi-faceted approach.
One would think that communities would remove coyotes from playgrounds by whatever means necessary, without a financial incentive. Governments under pressure to “do something” often do irrelevant and silly things. When we yammer for action without thinking through what action might make sense, we get the results we deserve.
Gerry, this is the first time the NDP have been in power in Nova Scotia. They’ve made a few bad moves recently. You’d think they’d be trying their best to NOT do anything else that could be deemed ‘irrelevant and silly.’
Earth Day 40 should be both a celebration of what we have accomplished and reminder of how much work we still need to do to bring our Mother Earth back into a healthy balance. We have today more awakened citizens of Earth who know their responsibility. We also have a powerful force for continued air pollution, poisoning of our waters, destruction of our natural environment, unforgivable killing of wild life, contamination of our food chain, obstructionism by powerful lobbies to prevent long term change because of short term profit and the list goes on. Every voice is needed for humanity to speak out as a Family to stop the insanity. Thank you for what you are doing today and in the future to awaken a sleeping public.
Keep on keeping on walking and working for the future of our planet.
Mother Earth has given us life. Our heart beat frequency in hertz is the same as that of planet Earth/Gaia. When will we wake up and realize we are actually really scientifically spiritually One with the Life of Earth? I hope soon.
Thanks for your comment David. Way too many people are still asleep. It’s especially unfortunate when they’re asleep at the wheel.
Well said, David….many of my feelings/ideas that I can’t seem to put into words. Now you’ve done it for me…thanx for your passion!
I echo that, David. Well said.
As human beings we still have a LOT to learn about our environment, how things really work, and what it needs to heal and survive. It’s great when you hear of individuals and groups doing something to help the Earth, but there are still so many short-sighted, greed-based and profit-hungry companies and governments who counteract so much of the good.
Amy, thank you for teaching us more about our world. You are part of all of those who love the earth and who want her to be whole and healthy. Warm autumnal blessings to you. 😀
I was under the impression that by attempting to wipe out a species like the coyote by bounty actually makes the problem worse. I’m no biologist, but I’ve always heard that if coyotes diminish too quickly, their hormones go out of whack and they start to reproduce even more rapidly. I’m not sure if this is true, but I have heard it in the past.
MSU, that’s what I’ve read too. Coyotes are very adaptable.
Import some roadrunners! Problem solved. 🙂
Excellent idea Ian! Leave it to a German to come up with the most efficient solution to the problem. 🙂
Nothing to add. You and the other commenty folk have said it all.
Really like that quote from the gov’t site about why bounties do no work.
Big sigh,
me
Yes Sybil, aren’t you glad you moved here? I wonder if they’ll remove that info from their site anytime soon.
Looking forward to our hike. I’ll bring the coyote sticks 🙂
Love the artwork! I actually visited your blog by clicking on the picture. How nice.
Great Blog, Thanks for sharing 🙂
Same type of a problem here with urban foxes.. (London England) the council does get rid of them I’m afraid… but in a densly populated area such as London, I suppose there is not much choice…
Nova Scotia is one of the most beautiful places on Earth with its scenic natural wonders, that is why I have chosen to include it as a back drop in the book that I am currently called Anomar’s Journey!!
Ramonakent, Nova Scotia really is a beautiful place. It has a lot of charm and would be a wonderful setting for a novel.
Yes I know this and you are right…I chose Stoney Island Nova Scotia as my backdrop for a very important setting in my book called Anomar’s Journey online here on WordPress. If you would like to check it out just click on my name. I will be entering a new post 4-23-2010.
Thanks…Ramona Kent
Judith and brelandkent, thanks for your comments.
Kris, not long ago the city of Halifax made it illegal for folks to keep chickens in their backyards. This probably helped keep down the urban fox population here.
Halifax is surrounded by woodlands. The more the outskirts are developed, the more we’re going to have conflicts with these canines for territory.
thank you
Hi everyone,
Congratulations on being on WordPress’ front page, yet again!
Yes, it’s ironic that the government in N.S. would announce this on Earth Day!
Here in Portland, Oregon we regularly have sitings of large wildlife predators being forced into urban areas. About 5 years ago, a huge coyote was walking 2 houses from ours. I was certainly startled, but that just shows things are out of balance, and that we have to help, in positive ways on the land, to restore balance.
Sharing things further from a positive perspective, I spent 2 hours watching the following two films on PBS last night. They say they will not stream overseas, but maybe you can get this in Canada, too.
It’s worth the time to watch as all of North America is in the same boat!
Food, Inc. is full length and will only be shown free from April 22-29, 2010. The DIRT! The Movie is only a preview. (It was a really important and informative show.)
Food, Inc.
and
DIRT! – The Movie
I’m off to write a post my “take” on Earth Day, now, and especially from the Food, Inc. perspective, as it severely impacts the tens of millions of North American diabetics and pre-diabetics.
See more on my blog:
http://diabetesdietdialogue.wordpress.com
Best to all – Em
Thanks Em.
The coyote population is apparently booming all over North America. Here in the mtns of Southeast TN, we have a plentiful population. Locally, the coyote is only problematic for keeping small livestock and domestic pets. We have them on our property and they’re taking goats, chickens, cats and dogs. Simultaneously, the turkey population is the only other wildlife growing at the same rate and I’m curious about the relationship. There is an open season on coyotes, but no bounty. A bounty would only provide insignificant gains to an existing coyote hunter. It seems like a senseless solution. In the South, the coyote really has no natural competition for prey and no natural predator. I’m interested in your follow up posts out of Canada.
Yikes Rod! The coyotes in your neck of the woods seem to be taking quite a toll. We don’t have wild turkeys here but we do have A LOT of ring-necked pheasants, a non-native species originally from China, that strut around the neighborhood like they own the place.
Coyotes can be shot year round in Nova Scotia with no bag limit. There’s also a winter trapping season. A bounty seems like a senseless solution here too.
The Coyotes should be stopped either by hunting or restraining their birth rate. They are pretty dangerous for the pubic especially when near schools.
The bounty was to create jobs in NS. It kills two bird with one stone by also supposedly reducing their population which helps the public gain confidence in public safety against these animals.
Good for NS economy as I see it, depends on how much the bounty is set at.
Remain.Simple
Remain.Simple, the bounty is supposed to be set at $20.
I’m sure the NDP government is trying to give the perception that something is indeed being done to ensure the safety of the populace, but most folks would prefer to see another type of solution. Other solutions would likely create some type of employment as well.
[…] rooting for Phoenix to go somewhere. Unfortunately, Earth Day is turing out to be a bad day for the ‘Yotes. Let’s hope this doesn’t translate into bad Chi for their hockey […]
The coyote is a marvelous example of natural selection, unlike my pure bred hounds, as illustrated here:
Vivian, it is amazing how well coyotes can adapt to any environment. It’s certainly a characteristic that will ensure their survival in the long run.
Hey, Amy, congratulations on being named among WordPress’ best again! Your blog is always so interesting and informative–more people should see it!
The irony of the NDP’s bounty is incredible. Don’t they read their own stuff?
It’s unfortunate that mankind cannot find ways to live in harmony with the natural world.
Thanks Joan.
I don’t think humans will ever find a way to live in harmony with nature. ‘Man vs wild’ is too ingrained in us to do otherwise.
Seems a shame that they are mass killing coyotes. I understand the danger in having them close to civilization though. Ultimately, my child’s safety is more important to me than a coyotes. It may sound mean but it is too bad there isn’t a solution that will teach them to fear man and thus stay away. Positive and negative association are powerful tools when it comes to animal behavior.
Jessica, they’re hoping to kill half of the 8,000 coyotes believed to exist in the province. That certainly is a mass killing.
You’re right about children’s safety being a priority. I don’t see how coyotes can communicate the message of danger once they’re dead.
Some scientists in the province have suggested other methods for communicating the message. They say their technique is a bit more time consuming but is effective because it makes coyotes pass the fear of humans down to their offspring, transmitting the message from one generation to the next. It’s unfortunate that the government is not enlisting their assistance.
growing up in L.A. i never heard of coyote attacks on humans. they’re seen there as a noisy nuisance. during a drought they might come down from the hills and deserts and pick off a pet or two, but nothing more. so i’m surprised to hear of the attacks there.
Sad…we run off species we don’t like because they are not cute or eat other animals (like we don’t?) and let the cute ones overrun the environment until they too become pests. Guess we’ll be putting a bounty on Canada geese soon.
Coyotes are smart and adapt faster than Man has been able to “control” them. A bounty won’t work for coyotes. Maybe we should leave enough wild space for them to live in instead of squeezing them out with our expansions. What a concept?
I so agree with those words, Scott.
[…] See also: Nova Scotia Celebrates Earth Day with a Bounty on Coyotes […]
[…] Nova Scotia Celebrates Earth Day with a Bounty on Coyotes […]