Innocent Coyotes Murdered In Botanical Garden By State Officials - Non SFZoo

Last Friday (June 27), before it even hit the News, I read a neighborhood Facebook Group post that the Botanical Garden had been closed, due to an incident involving a Coyote.  It's now known there was an "attack" and a child was bitten.  I knew how this would play-out when I read the wound was swabbed for DNA.

My initial reaction had questions running through my mind, based on my personal experience.  As a Sixty year lifelong Resident and Native of the Richmond District, I have spent much of my life, especially in the last near twenty years, in the Park.  I have seen more awful behavior by Humans towards Animals, than I want to revisit to list.  Behavior both horrific and disrespectful.  The highest in the tally, but not limited to, probably goes to Humans who allow their Dogs off leash, specifically in areas where other Animals live.  Dogs allowed to terrorize after Waterfowl, Birds, Squirrels, Gophers, Raccoons and reportedly Coyotes.  I do also consider that there is Wildlife who are not shy and approach Humans because of those who have been irresponsibly hand-feeding them.  So, I always wonder, what were the specifics of these interactions.  In this case, there was no reported interaction that precipitated the "attack".  

In my experience, I've never seen a Coyote want to even be near Humans. So, unless there was a den nearby, and visitors allowed in close proximity to it, I don't understand this.  That said, I'm not saying an unprovoked attack didn't or couldn't happen, I'm just stating my experience, since I'm putting forth my opinion on this tragic outcome. 

I almost wrote about this last weekend, but didn't.  By Monday the News had reported, three Coyotes had been killed in the Botanical Garden, by State Fish and Wildlife Dept.  I was horrified and extremely sad for the innocent lives that were taken.  And the killing may not be over.  State Officials are quoted, if no DNA match is made, "additional Coyotes will be killed".

As someone who cares about all non-Human life, especially beloved Waterfowl who have fallen prey to the Coyotes, I am heartbroken and upset when that happens, but also have to understand in nature, there are those who are prey and those who are predators.  I don't have to like it, and I don't want to see it, but it's reality.  I can't hate on any species for their natural behavior.  So, I dont want to see any lives lost.  That said, in this situation, rounding up a group of presumed innocent to find the guilty, is outrageous and barbaric.  It makes me sick.

Since I referred earlier to a den, I'll note that I was told a few years ago by SFBG Staff that there were, "now, three active dens", in the Botanical Garden.  That said, with pupping season currently in full swing, what if the three that were murdered, were the Mother's of litters that are now orphaned?  Shedding tears for those babies just imagining it.

As I set out to write this post, I thought I'd write a Letter to the Editor for submission to the SF Chronicle, as they reported on this.  So, my first words were in the form of that.  No surprise, even abbreviated thoughts, my words were too lengthy.  This is what I wrote.  What I submitted was severely reduced.

> After reading about the Coyote attack in the Botanical Garden, and the subsequent DNA swabbing of the child's wound, I knew where that was leading.  Officials were going to start killing Coyotes in SFBG until they find a match.  I was horrified when I read three were murdered in an initial hunt.  My thoughts are not meant to be unsympathetic to the victim, but empathetic to the Animals.  In my opinion, it is outrageous and morally wrong to kill all on sight.  Even if one of the three was the perpetrator, two lost their lives for no reason.  I'm sorry, but this City can't even properly prosecute actual criminals, yet it can hunt innocents it has let live here.  The aforementioned, specifically the man who broke into the  San Francisco Zoo, tresspassed, and kidnapped the Lemur named Maki.  This innocent Animal was taken from the safety of his home and family.  He had a traumatizing experience, and the perpetrator was released and told not to go to the Zoo again.  There is seemingly no regard for non-Human life in this town.  I have seen it over and over.  I have noted, The City has let the Coyotes live here.  In 2013, I had email correspondence with Rec and Park's Manager Eric Anderson and Intergrated Pest Management Coordinator Kevin Wollen.  After many years of predator attacks on beloved longtime Waterfowl, I questioned them, What the management plan was?  At the time Gardeners I knew put the population well under twenty.  I relayed that I thought before the population grew, as they were breeding successfully every year, they should either be relocated or a birth control plan be put in place using dosed meat.  Wollen replied that, the State Fish and Game, and The City's Animal Care and Control's policy is, the Coyotes are here to stay and the public must learn to coexist.  There was a moment in time where managing the population was probably possible.  Now, the policy is to Cull innocents of the species they welcomed. <

RIP Innocents Whose Lives Were Taken