“He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.” Psalms 147:9.
Coyotes are often mistaken for wolves or large dogs. Although weighing only about 30 pounds, their long, thick, yellowish fur makes them appear larger. At times they are noisy, and if you hear a pack of them in chorus on a moonlit night, it is something you will always remember.
Coyotes live throughout the United States, Mexico and southern Canada. Some make their home on the prairies where they enjoy a good supply of gophers, field mice, ground squirrels, small birds and insects. But they are also plentiful in most deserts, as well as by seashores, in forested hills, and even close to cities. Besides being meat eaters, they enjoy berries and fruits—a great favorite being dates that have dropped from date palm trees.
The Creator has made the coyotes very clever. Trappers are amazed at their ability to steal bait from their traps without getting caught. They will also quietly watch other animals or large birds hunting... then steal the food from them. When chasing rabbits they work cleverly in teams. One chases a rabbit until it tires, then another takes over, and sometimes a third helps out. The rabbit can outrun them, but becomes exhausted in this kind of race and is finally captured.
Unfortunately, coyotes do kill sheep and chickens and are hunted and poisoned for this reason. But it is usually discovered that when no coyotes are present packrats, mice, gophers and other rodents multiply and do serious damage to crops and other property. As a result, it has been decided that coyotes do more good than harm, and they are no longer completely killed off.
A pair of coyotes is usually loyal to each other for a lifetime. Once a year they raise from five or six to as many as fifteen little ones. These are hidden in a den on a hillside, under a big rock, or underneath a stump. The puppies are playful, but trained to obey their parents instantly. They are taught to stay close to the den under their parents’ watchful care until, when about two months old, they are given hunting lessons.
These interesting animals usually hunt at night and hide in daylight in places where they are almost impossible to find. Campers and hikers are often watched by them without being aware of it. Normally they do not bother humans, but try to avoid them.
Many of God’s creatures live by their superior strength or swiftness, but He has enabled this animal to survive and prosper by giving it a sharp intellect and cleverness. If He cares for the coyote this much, don’t you think He cares for you even more? The Bible invites us to experience this: “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7. Also in Jeremiah 31:3 the Lord graciously declares: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.”
Have you accepted the Saviour’s love and care?
ML-06/12/1983