Coyotes are now vital members of the ecology of Maine and all of New England, just like the great white sharks in our ocean and the eagles in our skies. Natural predators are as indispensable to a healthy planet, as clean air and clean water are to all life. When people kill natural predators, whose populations are naturally regulated by the availability of prey, we disrupt a life-affirming balance that benefits all life.
In this age of ecosystems under assault by people world-wide, it is unacceptable for Maine’s new governor, legislators and Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to add to the human-caused carnage by promoting the killing of coyotes and other natural predators, for sport or profit. There is already so much ignorant demonization of natural predators in the U.S., which results in horrible violence and cruelty toward them, including the senseless killing of these vital beings who belong here on this living planet.
Mother Nature’s wisdom brought coyotes to the eastern U.S. They are here for a reason and leaving them alone will slow the spread of Lyme disease carried by an abundance of rodents and deer, the very animals eastern coyotes prey on.
Instead of enabling more violence, cruelty and killing, Maine and our new governor should finally be leading the way with honest science, decency, respect and co-existence.
Robert Goldman
Portland
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