The mournful, yipping howl of a coyote drifts across the full moon. To the farmer or rancher, the coyote is often an enemy, a predator which kills livestock and threatens the stockman's livelihood. To the city-dweller, the song dog is a romantic icon of the American West, though some would be afraid of a coyote they encountered face to face. The naturalist and nature-lover sees the coyote as a valuable component of the western landscape, a remnant of wildness, adding much to the aesthetics of the outdoors experience. Many people are thrilled by seeing coyotes, and especially by hearing them.
People often see the coyote as black or white, but the animal's true color is a shade of gray.
Perhaps no other animal has generated as much emotion and controversy. But a coyote is neither cruel nor cuddly. It is a predator that kills to survive and there is no doubt some coyotes choose domestic animals as their prey. The coyote is also a fascinating, intelligent beast, particularly interesting because of its resemblance to our animal companion, the dog. A coyote is neither right nor wrong, good nor bad.