Really upsetting. A wolf-size coyote has been spotted in our neighborhood for over a month and today found the remains of a rabbit. It is either my favorite rabbit or its sibling judging by its size. The remains are not possible to identify. Heavy pots were turned over while ones that wind would regularly tip were up straight so it wasn’t a raptor. Had to have been a large animal. In any case, I haven’t seen any rabbits for several days.
@jblue oh wow yeah. We have lots of coyotes here too. Neighbor yesterday he said he saw a few near our door. I've definitely seen them trotting down the street and yeah they're BIG
@jake4480 did you hear anything about coyotes interbreeding with wolves and that’s how they’ve become large in the past couple decades? The pic my neighbor showed looked like it was malamute size.
I just went outside (it’s dusk and rabbits are crepuscular) and found my favorite rabbit so it’s ok for now at least.
@jblue oh woww I hadn't! That is WILD if true. I mean, I can see it happening. Are there reports of it?
@jake4480 there are a bunch of news articles from 2011 onwards about wolf and coyote hybrids “taking over eastern North America.” It was confirmed by DNA analysis.
I’m pretty apprehensive about this as a smallish person.
@jblue woww my wife is too. I can't imagine
@jblue don't tell me Hariette is gone!! That is too sad.
@fulanigirl She’s ok. I just went outside (it’s dusk and rabbits are crepuscular) and I found her in a usual spot.
It was pretty really dark outside when I took this pic but my phone automatically increased exposure and made it seem like daytime. The pic is blurry though.
@jblue Sorry to hear this. I had a similar experience where I live…in my case, it was a bobcat. While I understand the “cycle of life” stuff, it was still really sad to find the bunnies…especially since I was keeping an eye out for three adorable tiny ones that liked my yard..found the remnants of two larger bunnies about a week apart in the exact same spot…a corner in my front yard garden that was evidently a sheltered space for the bobcat to feed.
@cfmccarthy that’s what happened to this bunny. There is a broken-up section of bushes that makes for a large den and that’s where I found it.
But I just went outside and found my favorite rabbit so it’s ok for now at least.
@jblue I'm sorry to hear that! We love our yard bunnies as if they were pets.
@Trenton_Hoshiko yeah me too and the birds. There are certain birds that follow me around bc we have a hawk nesting in a neighbor’s tree.
I just went outside (it’s dusk and rabbits are crepuscular) and found my favorite rabbit so it’s ok for now at least. It was dark when I took this photo but my camera increased exposure so it looks bright but blurry.
@jblue gorgeous rabbit! Glad it is ok and hope everything calms down. I love your story about the birds, that is very sweet. We have a family of squirrels we watch out for and give seeds in the winter.
@Trenton_Hoshiko when the birds follow me, they’re actually really stressed and they look it. They dive underneath me or right beside me into a plant. It’s really jolting bc they are silent when they do it and extremely fast. It freaks me out. And then they just stare at you intensely from inside the shrub/tree. Since last year, the catbirds are getting more audacious and one landed next to my hand on the ground while I was working.
@jblue Oh my! That is interesting to learn about, especially that they're using you as cover of sorts for protection. The good and the bad, I always love the stories that come from your garden, you have so many wonderful creatures around you!!
@Trenton_Hoshiko thanks, we do have a lot of cool critters but if I’m being honest, it feels like they’re just tolerating me somewhat apprehensively which does nothing for my self-esteem.