Coyotes on my Trail!!!!

[NZfarmgirl]

Yes well you got me there, but those weta's are completely harmless and I've never seen one in the wild. I don't think we even have them down south here.
We also have skinks and geckos and a cool lizard called a Tuatara.

 

[Moongidget]

I had to google stoat to see what it was. Ermine! So cute. Love it when they cross my path at the ski resorts. (though I do realize any introduced species can quickly become a problem)

 

[NZfarmgirl]

I'

I had to google stoat to see what it was. Ermine! So cute. Love it when they cross my path at the ski resorts. (though I do realize any introduced species can quickly become a problem)

Ive never heard them called that. We also have ferrets which are similar. Another name is short tailed weasel.
Stoats were introduced into New Zealand in the 1800's to try and control the rabbit population which had already been introduced for hunting and had bred like .....well rabbits..... Stoats do kill rabbits and rats etc but they also love to kill birds and chicks, so our national bird -the Kiwi (who we are named after) which is a flightless nocturnal bird is now endangered. The stoats kill the chicks and it is estimated that only 5% of chicks survive.



Dead stoat and Kiwi

 

[Downunder Diva]

NZFG when I was in Wellington over summer I visited Zealandia (the Karori eco sanctuary 550acres housing rare birds with native forest). It was a fabulous experience to see how NZ used to be. Zealandia is only a few minutes from the CBD with a 10 m high boundary fence policed by volunteers to keep out all feral animals.

 

[suzyq40]

This is all so interesting to me, as in New Zealand we don't have any native predators. We do however have some introduced pests, like rabbits, possums, stoats, deer, wild pigs and rats, (none of which should be here) but these are a problem to our native birds at natural bush habitats, rather than to us or our pets.
The main problem we have with dogs is pig hunting dogs that run off from their owners in the bush and go feral. They kill lambs and sheep who are grazing on the edge of the forests. Some of our neighbours have been out on night hunts to shoot them.
FWI a pig hunting dog is trained to run through the bush tracking the pig, it then grabs the pig by the neck and waits for the hunter to come with his knife and kill it. it is very hands on hunting and the dogs are naturally quite vicious because of it.
Now before you get upset, the pigs are an officially listed pest and need to be culled - they are all eaten. Not wasted. We trap the stoats, poison the possums and shoot the deer and the rabbits.

Oh and we also don't have any snakes, crocs, or poisonous spiders-it's paradise.
Before humans came NZ was just full of birds and not much else.

I actually have a "pig dog" but she would be a useless dog for hunting. every loud noise worries her.. She is gorgeous.

 

[suzyq40]

all this talk about coyotes, wolves & bears makes me wonder how Australia got the tag of the most dangerous place on earth!!

 

[NZfarmgirl]

NZFG when I was in Wellington over summer I visited Zealandia (the Karori eco sanctuary 550acres housing rare birds with native forest). It was a fabulous experience to see how NZ used to be. Zealandia is only a few minutes from the CBD with a 10 m high boundary fence policed by volunteers to keep out all feral animals.

A number of our outlying islands have become bird sanctuaries, they have to be far enough away as stoats and rats can swim. We recently visited one north of Wellington on Kapiti island. We had to have our bags searched for rats before we were allowed on the boat!

 

[NZfarmgirl]

Suzyq I love your dog, she looks very mellow. We have 4 working dogs as well as my Beagle, I love them.

DUdiva I was sad to read about your blue heeler. Have you noticed that your abrev. spells Dud? you need an E on the end.

 

[suzyq40]

Danica is very mellow NZFG. SHe is a bullarab, great temprament. She would sit by my feet all day if she could. Hopefully she is sitting in the garage at the moment and not stuffing around in the rain and mud!! Its pouring with rain here at the moment.

 

[Magnatude]

I'm pretty sure I've seen a weta in western Southland, NZfarmgirl. They do blend in though ... as for ferrets or stoats, on a recent drive through the Lindis Pass late at night, at least three of the critters ran across the road in front of the car, at probably 30km intervals, plus one roadkill version. I saw more of them than possums or rabbits. Very strange.

I'm appalled by a kangaroo drowning your dog, Downunder Diva. I had no idea they could be so nasty.

The most dangerous creature I've ever encountered here (apart from humans) is the magpie (another import). When you're out biking in nesting season (Oct-Nov), they hide in trees then dive bomb you from behind, sometimes drawing blood, or even causing a crash. Determined cyclists here have developed strategies to combat them -- zip ties sticking out of helmets seems the most popular, although others attach fake eyes to the backs of their helmets, which seems quite effective. Looks weird though.

 

[VickiK]

Mr. Tuatara is a handsome lizard. Sad to hear that about Kiwis, they are so distinctly N.Z. I hope they can survive.
Suzyq, your pup is beautiful, and now I know of such a breed as Bullarab (Bull Arab). Oh happy Friday!

 

[liquidfeet]

A week ago (in Massachusetts) I saw a large coyote saunter across my back yard. It was huge, not like a normal coyote. I've read that coyotes in New England have bred with wolves; this one looked like it could be one of those. This was daylight, around 3:00. It showed no hesitation walking across a yard clearly worked by a human gardener. I am concerned.

 

[whitewater girl]

yeah, I had a beautiful, clean, well-groomed one loping along-side my car the other morning as I headed into work - looked frustrated that I wouldn't get out of his way!

 

[litterbug]

yeah, I had a beautiful, clean, well-groomed one loping along-side my car the other morning as I headed into work - looked frustrated that I wouldn't get out of his way!

Don't you know that wheeled vehicles are supposed to yield to handsome-looking wildlife!

I've seen some sizable coyotes out here, too. I think they grow larger when they're well-fed, and back east you can bet they stay pretty fat on rabbits and refuse. There's not much natural habitat for them to roam in the northeast, so their territory naturally takes in a lot of suburbs.