Coyote roller for containing fence-hopping pets - videos and photo

[mklotz]

My most memorable encounter with a coyote occurred while driving through Joshua Tree National Park. My wife noticed a coyote limping along the side of the road.

Slowing down, it paused and sat there looking as forlorn as a lost puppy.

She felt really sorry for the poor thing and asked me to stop so she could throw some bits of leftover sandwich out the window for it. I pointed out that, besides being illegal, it would just encourage the animal to interact with humans.

As I drove off I glanced in the rear view mirror only to see the coyote running at full tilt down the road towards another car approaching in the distance.

Later, I recounted this encounter to one of the park rangers. "Oh, yeah, that's slippery Jack. He learned that act to con visitors out of bits of food. Did you notice that he's overweight?"