Despite our "not-as-smart-as-he-thinks-he-is" image of Wile E. Coyote, real coyotes are among the world's more adaptable and resourceful predators. Found throughout North America, coyotes make the most of whatever food comes their way, and adjust well to human presence. The coyote is one of the few mammals whose range is increasing in the face of expanding urbanization, and despite deliberate persecution. For various reasons, coyotes' willingness to coexist with people is not always reciprocated. Coyotes are members of the dog family, related to wolves as well as all breeds of the domestic dog. They are excellent hunters with acute hearing and an amazing sense of smell. When pursuing large prey, coyotes sometimes work together in small groups, but usually prefer to hunt alone. I've watched a coyote stand motionless in tall brown grasses, ears cocked forward, listening, listening, listening ... WHAM! With a sudden, cat-like pounce, the coyote will spring up and forward to come down with its front paws and muzzle on a mouse or vole. Rodents, rabbits, berries, carrion and even insects are on the coyote's menu. Being flexible in their diet allows coyotes to take advantage of seasonal abundance, from fawns and summer fruit crops to windfalls such as road-killed deer. Carrion is an important resource in the winter when other food is scarce. Conflict with humans occurs when coyotes exploit what are, to them, simply other food sources: young livestock and pets. Historically, people have resorted to Draconian measures to banish coyotes. In some areas, humans are responsible for 90 percent of the deaths of coyotes older than five months. However, poisoning, trapping and shooting campaigns against coyotes are effective only for specific local problems and only in the short term. New animals will continually seek to occupy what they see as a "prime location, close to stores." Common-sense measures can greatly reduce problems for both coyotes and humans. Put guard animals with vulnerable livestock. Don't leave pet food or garbage where it will tempt coyotes and other wildlife. Animals who learn to associate food with humans become increasingly bold, endangering both themselves and people. If you are fortunate to have pets living with you and coyotes visiting, don't leave a pet out to fend for itself against a stronger, smarter predator. Keep a watchful eye, especially between twilight and early morning when coyotes are hunting. Coyotes will attack sheep and foals, and frequently make off with cats. Responsible coexistence with wild animals means being aware of their presence and of the related benefits and hazards. While coyotes are causing some concern in populated areas, they are assisting with some other animal problems. Recent studies show coyotes are helping to control the rapidly growing populations of urban Canada geese by eating their eggs. By preying on fawns, coyotes check burgeoning white-tailed deer populations, a nuisance in many areas. And, whether city or country dwellers, coyotes consume vast numbers of rodents and other "pest" animals, and serve as efficient carrion cleanup crews. I have my own reasons for liking and admiring coyotes, besides their intelligence and hunting prowess. I love the sound of their voices - howls and high-pitched yips full of excitement - usually heard at moonrise throughout the year. I sometimes see them hunting along roadsides or out in a field, going about their coyote business as the human world speeds by. One summer midnight under a full moon, I walked alone on the prairie beside a creek cutting its way to the river. I glimpsed movement to my left and there was a coyote, trotting along parallel to me about 15 metres (50 feet) away. He stayed with me all the way to a lookout point at the river, then branched off on his own, stopping to look back once or twice as coyotes often do. We share our world with so many remarkable creatures. On rare occasions, we are privileged to experience it with them as well. - REBECCA L. GRAMBO