The Night I Saw a Coyote
- 4月19日
- 讀畢需時 2 分鐘
This week, I did some preliminary research on both of my two possible animals, coyote and mustang. I looked at several umbrella topics from class, including intelligence, social intelligence, social behavior, communication, emotions, and awareness. Among these, I spent more time thinking about wolves and coyotes, especially social intelligence and adaptability. What interests me most is the ability to survive in changing environments. To me, that kind of flexibility is one of the most impressive qualities in both animals and humans.
Most of my research this week was done through Google Scholar. It felt like the most useful place to start because the results were broad, academic, and often accessible to students. The best source I found was Jane M. Packard’s Wolf Social Intelligence. What interested me most was the idea that wolf intelligence should not be understood only as group hunting. Instead, Packard describes it in terms of behavioral flexibility and resilience. That was different from my previous impression of wolves, and it made me think more seriously about canid intelligence as a research topic.
At first, I was still choosing between mustangs and coyotes. However, the moment that really made the decision for me happened last night, when I actually saw a coyote in my dorm area. I had already read a lot about coyotes moving into California cities, but seeing one so close to where I live made the topic feel immediate and real. It was alone, much thinner and less dramatic-looking than the wolves people usually imagine. I was too nervous to get close, so I only took a picture from far away, while my friend actually tried to approach it and feed it sausage.
That moment made me even more curious. Do coyotes usually move alone? Was this one hunting, wandering, or following a larger behavior pattern that I do not yet understand? I want to know how coyotes think and adapt in urban environments full of cars, strangers, lights, and unpredictable buildings. Right now, I am leaning strongly toward researching coyotes, especially their intelligence and survival strategies in the city.
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