Coyotes of Canaan
Author: Edwin Daryl Michael
Publisher: Quarrier Press
Published: 2021-04-24
Total Pages: 142
ISBN-13: 9781942294207
DOWNLOAD EBOOKIn Coyotes of Canaan, we follow the daily lives of coyotes and coywolves from the Adirondack Mountains of New York to the unique ecosystems of Canaan Valley and the adjoining Dolly Sods Plateau in West Virginia. We experience the struggles, successes, and failures of an extended family of coyotes, and are rewarded with an in-depth view of the lives - and deaths - of these wild canids. Dr. Michael describes the daily and seasonal life history events that define a coyote, including its diet, hunting, killing, mating, travels, territories, reproduction, competition with other predators, and interactions with humans. Although coyotes were not present in West Virginia or the Central Appalachians prior to the 1900s, their adaptability insures they will become permanent residents that we must learn to live with.This historical novel might well have been titled, The Canids of Canaan, in that it details events involving not only coyotes, but also wolves, coywolves, coydogs, domestic dogs, bear hounds, bird dogs, and foxes. In addition to learning about the lives of wild canids, we gain an understanding of the complexities of the ecosystems of the Central Appalachians and the diversity of wildlife that exists throughout the region. We learn about the sordid role humans have played in attempting to eradicate the coyote, the most successful of all wild mammals in North America. We also gain glimpses of what the future could hold for these fascinating apex predators, which will play a vital role in maintaining balanced ecosystems throughout the 21st century.
