Our source for all things canid is Jane Brackman, i.e. Dr. Barkman, who tells us it's spring and the coyotes are hungry:
I watched a handsome coyote trot across Holliston early this morning. It reminded me to remind you to remind Altadenablog readers that coyote pups are being weaned about now and papa coyote is out scouting for food.
In our area, most coyotes mate in January/February. Like domestic dogs, gestation lasts about nine weeks or 63 days. While mother takes care of the young, the male coyote does a large share of the hunting. He returns to the den and regurgitates the goodies so she can eat. Pups are weaned at about 6 weeks of age.
In the early stages of weaning both parents eat their fill of a meal, then regurgitate their stomach contents in front of the pups. Yummy. After a while, the pups are presented with pieces of meat that they must chew themselves. By late spring, pups require more food and parents go to great lengths to keep their offspring fed.
So be extra vigilant now. Keep your pets inside. Don’t leave food bowls outside. There are more than enough rats in Altadena to keep hungry coyote pups fed.
Most readers will remember that last year, many small pets were killed by coyotes. Not only was it a tragic loss for owners, but many local coyotes were trapped and killed by the State Department of Fish & Game – which tells you just how bad the problem was as Fish and Game rarely removes indigenous wild animals.
