A team effort between wildlife management and rescue workers has helped a wandering wild coyote to finally find a safe home and companionship with a fellow coyote at Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary in Lilburn, Georgia.
Carmine, a melanistic male coyote, was spotted through urban Georgia areas visiting people’s backyards and playing with neighborhood dogs. While Carmine was friendly and didn’t show aggression unless another dog showed aggression first, people in the area began to have varying levels of concern for the safety of humans and other dogs.
Brandon Sanders, owner of Sanders Wildlife, a humane wildlife management company in west Georgia, and one of the people that worked to find a home for Carmine told The Epoch Times that Carmine was coming so close to humans by frequently popping up in their backyard that it was only a matter of time before concerned members of the public would have him captured and euthanized.
In an attempt to avert euthanasia, Sanders and his team looked at a different approach. Along with help from Atlantic Coyote Project and Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, Inc., Sanders Wildlife obtained approval from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to capture Carmine and transfer him to the Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary.
The team spent months researching and mapping Carmine’s routes, the distances he traveled, and his favorite dogs to visit. Coyotes usually travel 3–10 miles per day and can cover a considerable distance. Carmine was no exception, and after the team had structured a webbed map of his routes, they set up cameras and traps at his frequented spots.
“This was a huge team effort, where Carmine would pop up and we would put a trap up on a porch, in a backyard, and then he would end up 10 to 15 miles away in another backyard,” Sanders said. “We had so many great homeowners in the public involved that when Carmine was spotted, they would instantly report back to Chris Mowry from Atlanta Coyote Project and would let us know exactly where Carmine was.”
Finally, one night Carmine was caught. Although it was a difficult decision for everyone involved to move a wild animal into captivity, according to Sanders, in Carmine’s case, they knew they were doing the best they could for him.
After he was captured, although he was in a trap, Carmine didn’t freak out; instead, he was very docile and calm, Sanders said.
Carmine was immediately transferred to Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary. Due to Covid-19, Carmine was quarantined before he could enter into a big enclosure. He was also examined and vaccinated before he got ready to meet his new friend, Wilee, a confiscated hand-raised female coyote residing there.
First, Wilee was placed in an enclosure near Carmine’s, giving them time to get used to each other. Then, the doors were opened and anxious onlookers waited to see if the two would get along. After a few moments, and to the relief of the rescue team, the two coyotes were playfully chasing each other around the grounds.
“The day that we finally opened the two enclosures, it was truly amazing,” Sanders said. “It was a heartfelt moment.”
The successful meeting between the coyotes rewarded Sanders and his team with confirmation that they had taken the right course of action. Not only was Carmine’s life preserved, but he had a new home and a companion.
Soon, Carmine and Wilee’s companionship grew. They now enjoy themselves by running around, playing, and kissing each other, Sanders shared.
After months of research and effort to capture and relocate Carmine, the two coyotes are now offering people a unique learning opportunity. Sanders and other wildlife specialists are gaining further insights into a coyote’s diet and behavior, and they are able to get a closer look at the two coyotes’ temperaments.
Side by side, Wilee and Carmine have revealed two very different personalities. Carmine is “very standoffish." However, Sanders said that he will open up to people and will “let down his guard” and become playful with his caregiver. Wilee, on the other hand, was raised by humans and shows “no fear” around people. She likes to be the “center of attention,” and often runs around back and forth all over the place.
To Sanders, these opposite characteristics make the two coyotes great companions and a great team, giving humans an exceptional opportunity to appreciate the creatures they are.
“They’re just an amazing species,” Sanders said. “I think coyotes are awesome and a less understood animal for sure.
“In most cases, you’re not going to get this close to a coyote in the wild to learn this much about them.”
