BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 19, 2023
Maine’s coyotes are a keystone carnivore. As wild hunters they have the capacity to affect the health of Maine’s landscape in positive and important ways. Their presence can protect the habitat of our birds, butterflies and bees. It can protect our forests from overgrazing of large herbivores. It can protect lives from disease, and that includes us. Why is it that this important carnivore is subjected to year round exploitation, day and night? There remains the ugly vestiges of European ignorance and hatred of the carnivore. Our coyotes cannot do their important work when they are so heavily persecuted. I suggest we free ourselves of the old world, and colonial hatred and violence to carnivores. Is time to let go of the fear, educate ourselves and show our children a completely different relationship, one of respect. The free for all permitted in Maine regulations is nothing more than permission for crime. ~ Geri Vistein, carnivore conservation biologist, Morrill