Re "Invading coyotes" November 20

I read with interest the article about the "invading coyotes" allegedly preying on livestock and domestic companion animals. I think three points must be made in this regard.

First, as the article rightly states, coyotes are not indigenous to this part of the continent. In fact, they moved in to the area after the major predator indigenous to the region, the grey wolf, was extirpated by misguided policies that called for their extermination, much the same as what is being proposed today with regard to the coyote. Deja vu all over again? Why must killing always be the solution?

Second, it might be premature to state that coyotes are responsible for alleged predation. Elsewhere and in the past, kills that were attributed to coyotes have often been determined to be the damage inflicted by feral dogs (i.e., ownerless domestic dogs living in a wild state) and freeranging household dogs that were left to run at large by irresponsible owners.

Finally, I have spent much of the last four years working with transhumant shepherds in the French Pyrenees where the European Union, French government and World Wildlife Fund are working to restore a balanced ecosystem. This requires predators, including bears and wolves. To protect their flocks, which in the Pyrenees comprise approximately 575,000 sheep, shepherds employ the Pyrenean Mountain Dog (Great Pyrenees). Scores of studies in Europe and North America have proven the effectiveness of livestock guarding dogs, such as the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, in protecting flocks.

In fact, in one large scale study in France, involving over 27,000 sheep, predation was reduced by 92%. Studies on this continent have demonstrated similar effectiveness. One area farmer, quoted in another newspaper recently, said that he has "five guard dogs" protecting his sheep. I am willing to bet that they are either NOT traditional livestock guarding breeds (Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherd Dogs are NOT livestock protectors) or, if they are, they have not been properly reared and trained for their tasks.

Five properly reared Pyrenean Mountain Dogs (or any of the other 40 - 50 traditional livestock guarding breeds) would keep virtually any number of coyotes away from his sheep.

By calling for a cull on coyotes we are falling into that 19th century mindset that killing competitors is the only solution. This is the 21st century, not the 19th. We should be trying to protect the planet, not destroy it and its creatures.

The use of livestock protection dogs is a proven 5,000 year old environmentally friendly way of protecting livestock. Let's employ it rather than releasing hunters over the landscape. In addition to needlessly killing coyotes, we run the risk of companion dogs being mistaken for coyotes and innocently shot by trigger-happy hunters who can't tell a coyote from a Keeshond.

Bryan Cummins, Ph.D.

Bolton, Ontario