Solve the coyote problem now

A rather lengthy Associated Press article describes the coyote problem around Los Angeles. It describes two recent attacks on attended children. It says that since the 1970s more than 100 attacks on humans have been recorded, and that in 1981 a 3-year old girl was fatally mauled.

Now, 100 attacks is quite a surprise to me. In The Daily Herald, not two months ago, was a short article about a young woman hiker in northeastern Canada who was killed by coyotes. Approximately two years ago a dog, with its owner, on a leash, was attacked. I think that was in the Woodfield Mall parking lot.

Coyotes are simply not harmless beautiful animals that we are fortunate to have the opportunity to observe. I have thought for a long time that a very hungry coyote and a small unattended child was a recipe for a tragedy.

Now, here's where I'm going to ruffle some feathers. Who moved into who's habitat? I think the coyote was mostly an animal of the Great Plains, not the tall grass prairie. (Or the brushy hills around Los Angeles, for that matter). I came here to live in 1965, and I don't have memory of seeing coyotes at that time. But why shouldn't they move in here? There's food here, and not much danger. What enemies have they got? Life expectancy, disease, territorial claims of other coyotes and automobiles.

There's one aspect of the problem that perhaps no one has ever considered - God has dominion over man, but man was given dominion over coyotes. We aren't discussing the eradication of the species, only a few problem animals. My vote would be to solve the problem and get it over with, and if God isn't in agreement with what is being done, he will certainly be able to do something about it.

George Foxe

Carol Stream