It’s January. Even though winter officially began on December 21st, it is already “midwinter” for our migratory waterfowl and other wildlife on the refuge. With our calendars, most people know exactly what time of year it is. Animals, on the other hand, follow the seasons according to length of daylight hours, climatic changes, and possibly changes in the Earth’s magnetic fields. If animals had the ability to laugh, then I’m sure they would chuckle at daylight savings time when we torture ourselves every autumn and spring. For most wetland wildlife, this is the time to pack on as much fat as possible in order to survive the late winter and early spring (historically the hardest time of year for animals and early humans within the Pecos valley), and to prepare for a long migration and/or breeding season. This time of year for wetland animals is comparable to the holiday season for those of us who tend to add on a few pounds from Thanksgiving through Christmas. The difference between us and wildlife is that we don’t really need the additional fat whereas animals do. In addition, animals will likely lose the extra weight by late spring unlike most of us.

These holiday months are not necessarily fun and games for wildlife. Life is hard for most species during midwinter since they have to deal not only with the stress of evading predators, but also with cold weather and competition for food. However, there is one mammal at the Bitter Lake Refuge that tends to thrive during this time of year. This animal, the resilient coyote, not only continues to hunt and capture prey, but also feasts on the carcasses of animals that have succumbed to the harsh winter. In nature, death for some becomes nourishment for others.

Wiley E. Coyote the famous Looney Tunes character has the first name “Wiley” for a reason. Wild coyotes are very clever, and are one of the most resourceful omnivores (animals that feed on both plants and animals) in the world, feeding on a variety of food items including juniper berries, cactus fruits, insects, small mammals, birds (including roadrunners if they can catch them), and fish. They can survive just about anywhere, including rural towns as long as there is a ditch or open field to prowl under the cover of darkness. Coyotes are plentiful on the refuge, where they help keep their prey populations healthy by removing the sick, old, and already deceased critters. I have witnessed these cunning predators patiently wait nearly motionless for hours within a flat open field, until a flock of canes landed close enough for it to make a mad dash at the flock, successfully catching the slowest, weakest bird. What I have just explained, is an example of natural selection, where only the faster, smarter, and most fit individuals survive, allowing them to pass on their adaptive traits to the next generation. The smart coyote will likely breed this year, whereas the slow crane will not.

These clever canines have filled the void of the larger predators that once roamed these grasslands, including the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Mountain Lion. Today, instead of hearing the solemn low howl of the wolf throughout the grasslands, we hear the yelps, barks, and howls of Wiley E. Coyote.

The refuge hosts an endangered species/wildlife discovery tour every first Saturday of the month through April. Tours begin at 9:45 a.m. in front of the Joseph R. Skeen Visitor Center. Be prepared for light walking and seeing things that you had no idea existed right here in your back yard, including Wiley E. Coyote. For additional information and to sign up for a tour, call 575 625-4011 or 757 626-6162.