Becoming Wolf: The Eastern Coyote
Predator-free for half a century, both wildlife and farmers in the northeast became complacent. Since the arrival of the Eastern Coyote in the 1940s, we have been reluctant to understand this creature living among us but that eccentric howl now has our full attention.
The true story of the Eastern Coyote acknowledges its western ancestor and recognizes too that this is a creature of our own making. The wolf we eradicated a century ago has returned in a more resilient form. It is smart, beneficial and by its presence, reWilds our landscape. However, this new Wild comes with a caveat: that livestock and pet owners steward creatures with greater care.
Despite the ecological benefits the coyote brings, it is the most persecuted carnivore in North America. In spite of this, the coyote survives and thrives. This may be its tragic flaw.
Registration required ~ click here to register.
* * * * *
Christine Schadler
Chris’ interest in wild canids began in the 1970s as a volunteer at the Wolf Park in Battleground, Indiana. This opportunity and others led to an eventual Masters in Conservation Biology at Antioch University in Keene, NH, where Chris’ thesis focused on the Natural Recovery of the Eastern Timber Wolf in Michigan. During the early 1980s, Chris lived in Michigan and Minnesota, where her research into the gray wolf continued and her speaking career began.
Beginning in the early 1990s, Chris taught Forestry, Wolf Ecology and Environmental Conservation in the Natural Resources Department at UNH, receiving many teaching excellence awards. She also instructed and mentored adult degree candidates in the UNH System at Granite State College.
While wolf recovery was the focus of her early work, Chris’ attention shifted to the Eastern Coyote when she and her flock of sheep moved to New England. She is now the NH and VT Representative for Project Coyote. She also co-founded the NH Wildlife Coalition, which aims to defend predators and broaden public input into wildlife decision-making; and is a member of the town Conservation Commission and Chairs the Select Board in Webster, NH.