Coyote Roadkill

Since the last update I have seen four coyotes alive and kicking. One of them was walking beside a small road out in plain sight. However, when a car passed it at no more than five meters, all the faces of the people inside the car were turned the wrong way and none of them saw the coyote as it carelessly continued its path along the road. I bet those people came back in their hotel (they looked like tourists) saying that their supposed wildlife viewing trip was rather unsuccessful. If only they knew how close they were...

I have noted before how smart these canines are, and how they have managed to thrive even under the merciless attention from humanity. Obviously though, sometimes even they fall prey to traffic. This one I found right in the middle of the Trans Canada Highway, about twenty kilometers from Calgary. On both sides of the road were fields where the animal probably hoped to find food, or was just traveling through. However, this stretch of road is very heavily traveled by people coming from or going to Calgary. The speed limit in this part is 110 km/h. However, I have driven on the road several times now and noticed that virtually every car and heavy truck overtook me in no time. The average speed will probably be well over 120 km/h. I don't think that if people would all obey the speed limit no more animals would be killed on the road, but it shows that people are not all that concerned. Not about the wildlife, but also not about their own safety. Hitting a coyote will probably not do too much damage (except to the coyote itself of course), but hitting something as big as a sheep (let alone an elk, moose or bear)  may well make the driver and passengers end up just as badly as the animal itself.

There is a discussion going on about speeding in the area though and it is not unlikely that cameras will soon be stationed along the road to catch speeders. However, if that will happen, the perpetrators will not be fined, they will only get a warning. Many people are very skeptical about developments like this, because it is highly unlikely that it will make people's feet less heavy. Besides, the costs for the cameras and all the other necessities will never be repaid if catching a speeding car will not result in a fine.

If I will find the time during my stay here, an article about roadkill and speeding is probably the first one to be finished.

Image number: AWMC4035