Coyotes in St. Marys,Yikes!

I saw a coyote run across old St. Marys Road (closer to the interstate than Osprey Cove) a couple of cars ahead of ours on a Sunday in the late afternoon. I wasn't alone in my observation so this is one of the times I am telling the truth and can have the sighting corroborated. I have read that coyotes are making a comeback and can be found all over the US, urban areas included, but I will admit this sighting took me by surprise. I have seen fox, beavers, armadillo, hogs, deer, and all sorts of birds but this coyote sighting was a first for me.

It seems some coyotes were illegally imported and released in north Florida in the 1980s by gray fox hunters wanting a new target for their chases. Although you can chase a fox it is illegal to shoot them because they are a protected endangered species (and the coyote isn't). Sadly those same coyotes are now contributing to the decline of the fox because they compete for the same food. Though coyotes prey on rodents and small farm animals and sometimes fruits like watermelons, they aren't thought to be a threat to humans. Standing only two or three feet tall and weighing about 25 to 50 pounds, coyotes are faster and nimbler than they are ferocious. The coyote I encountered was tan and looked like a German Shepherd but with a long bushy tail that almost touched the ground as he effortlessly slipped across the road and headed for the wooded area on the other side. Coyotes are also considered wily and intelligent. Yes, I am conjuring up an image of Wile E Coyote, and wondering if wiles and intelligence have anything to do with this one making the move from Florida to Georgia.