The Anatomy of a Coyote Attack
A Story of Struggle and Survival In Canada's eastern provinces
Note: The events in
this story take place in Montague Township, Lanark County, situated in
south-eastern Ontario, Canada. For maps to locate the area, click on the button
> 
Editor's introduction: This story has been used by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in a recent court case, where I was the defendant. The main issue was ownership but another concept was the veracity of this article.
I have attempted to relate this story from the perspectives of the animals involved, human considerations are purely secondary. If people could have conversed with Rambut, I am certain he would have emphatically insisted all the sheep and goats were his herd. He watched over the herd to ensure no females in season would go unsatisfied. He also kept the younger males in line to ensure only his genes would prevail.
However, the decisions of ownership such as what animal is kept for breeding, what animal is sent to market and what animal is put down is decided by the human masters not the dominant male animal. Rambut watched over his herd to maintain his position of dominance, and when they were attacked by predators, he was the first to flee. It was the donkey's job to defend against predators, not Rambut's.
Regarding the issue of veracity, as far as Rambut was concerned, it was his herd. From the donkeys perspective, it was his herd. From the human owner's standpoint, it was his herd. A truism is interpreted from the perspective of the sender.
According to the MNR, there is no Coyote problem in Ontario, although the Ontario government hands out hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to farmers for compensation for Coyote or wolf kills/maulings.
The
brush wolves of eastern Canada are simply trying to survive. This story is
primarily about their struggle for survival from their
perspectives. Any references to their feelings and to their intentions or
of the intentions of other animals is pure conjecture on my part.
The
South Montague/Long Branch Pack T
A
n unseasonably warm Spring provided an impetus to returning flocks of birds, both large and small. The Coyotes bred as they always do in this part of the continent, during the last two weeks of February. If the new brood survives until Autumn, the alpha female will not breed again this year.
L
ean and hungry, the south Montague pack was particularly anxious this Spring to ensure the survival of their family. The alpha male was a large coal-black Timber wolf weighing well over 150 lbs. His parentage was obviously Gray wolf. A number of Gray Wolves were dropped off in the vicinity by the MNR to thin out the overabundant deer, that served to introduce their genes into the local Brush wolf population. The Alpha female was the progeny of a female Coyote and a male Red Wolf, weighing in at about 80 lbs.
Four of the 2005 litter were still with their parents. They were gray, tinged with the red of their Red Wolf bloodline. Two of their siblings were shot during one of this pack's raids on a sheep farm in late 2005. There were reports of sightings of others, such as a Tan colored one, but it was probably a loner, and didn’t stay in the vicinity. There were also reports of a large lone gray wolf that was never seen with any others. He was probably an older male from this pack who was chased away as he was large enough to present a threat to the black alpha male, no doubt his father.
T
hese six Gray/Red Wolf/Coyote hybrids were the undisputed masters of their domain as long a they stayed together. United, they could drive away others of their kind, even the odd Black bear that rambled into their territory. They knew their territory so well they could travel the length and breadth of it in complete darkness. They knew where the deer herds traveled and also the ages of each deer. They knew where the Snowshoe Hares and the smaller Cotton-Tails hid.
They also watched the local domesticated farm animals as they bleated and begat their new ones. With their large size and coyote instincts, they had no fear of the local dogs. It was common for hounds to "chase" a brush wolf pack for over 20 miles, far from the safety of their human handlers. Hounds sent on their trail often did not return.
Where pure western Coyotes would supplicate to a large dog, these ones would not hesitate to kill it. Any of them were large and vicious enough to grab a dog by the back of the neck and shake it until its neck broke. On particularly dark nights, they would often approach a farm and from the cover of darkness, would howl their challenge. Then they would sit back and enjoy the howling and barking of the local caged or tethered dogs.
Local dogs were afraid to venture into the woods when they were in the vicinity. Occasionally, a wandering dog would spot the pack and would immediately run for home. Sometimes, the pack was successful in surrounding an unsuspecting dog. In that case, it "disappeared". Sometimes the ambush was carefully planned. Instances of disappearing farm dogs became more common in this area.
T
hese "brush" wolves were old hands at attacking sheep, and even cattle to get at their young. One farmer had lost 13 calves in the Spring of 2004 from this very pack. The alpha male had emasculated a full grown German Shepherd during the last breeding season, for no other reason than to ensure it could not become a challenge to his proprietorship of his domain. No free-roaming able-bodied male dog would be tolerated on his watch. The pack had also surrounded and killed the Australian Shepherd guard dog of a nearby sheep farmer. They had fought a White-tailed buck, in the prime of its life, for hours until, finally victorious, they gorged on its flesh. 
This pack was comprised of seasoned killers, and they were intent on starting off the killing season in earnest. Any of them could hear a twig snap from a half kilometer away so no animal (or man) could approach without their knowledge.
The Donkey
This was the one that drew their attention the most. He was a medium sized animal but he had his quirks. He would not tolerate interference in his feeding space from the heifer although she was at least twice as large as him. When she got on his nerves, he would turn and threaten to kick her whereby she would immediately back off. Whenever a sudden downpour arrived, the herd would bolt for the outbuilding, and the donkey would stand in the doorway and not let the last few stragglers inside. This could work in their favour.
There had been a larger donkey here before, and the pack watched fascinated, as he would occasionally run down a newborn lamb, grab it and toss it in the air usually killing it. He had disappeared the previous Spring just about the time this newer one arrived. The resident Red Fox got most of those lamb carcasses, as only she could easily go inside the electric fence and gather them up. Whenever she was foolish enough to carry a carcass into the woods, they would go after her and she would invariably drop the load and run for safety.
This
one had his quirks also. He had his favourite goats and those he
disliked. At times, if he was in a bad mood, he would bite a goat on
its back and hold on as the goat screamed in pain and fright, only letting go
when he got bored. Those he picked on tended to be injured and
developed a limp or stayed behind the others. This could be in their
favour also. The pack knew from experience that a donkey could be expected
to be a serious combatant if they attacked inside the fence. Some goats
regularly went a short distance outside the electric fence to get at the taller
grass, but they were very cautious, and were always on the watch. The
donkey would be a problem inside the fence but he never attempted to go outside
it. If only they could catch some of the goats a distance away from the
fenced field.
The Heifer
She
was a hornless three year old part Scottish Hyland. They remembered her
when she lived at a farm to the north deeper inside their territory. When
she was younger and had horns, she would occasionally get loose and wander in
the woods alone. 
She was a more dangerous adversary then with those long
sharp horns but then the humans removed the horns, making her a much more
attractive target. She was now about 800 pounds and didn't appear to be
too bright. The donkey occasionally caught the pack's smell but the heifer
didn't seem to know or care.
Unlike the donkey, the heifer didn't appear to have a comfort zone. She was quite content to let the goats lay close to her, sometimes the kids would jump up on her back and play games. As many as three kids would sometimes stand on her back, especially when the resident vixen came around searching for scraps. They were used to her and were not afraid, just curious. Even the donkey ignored her.
With his temperamental nature, the donkey sometimes let it be known he didn't want the heifer's company, so she was occasionally off by herself grazing in the pasture. This aspect also fascinated the wolves. She could move fast when she wanted to so they would have to work fast to cut her off from the donkey's protection. She would be the primary target if they ever managed to get through the fence.
The Electric Fence
It was a seven strand electric fence. They had tested it out at night and found it delivered a terrific jolt when one would put its nose to a wire. It had their respect and they avoided it whenever one patrolled the outside of the fence line but, from their concealed positions, they continued to watch it and the herd's reaction to it. They noticed that sometimes a goat would slip under the bottom-most wire forcing it upwards and go through with no adverse effects. At other times, they noticed one of the larger goats would jump through the two middle strands not touching the ground until free of the fence and in that way was not shocked. They continued to watch and learn. It appeared that if they rushed through it, they would not get hurt. This was definitely working in their favour.
During the Summer and Autumn of 2005, the pack watched as a few goats would slip under the fence and venture beyond in the taller grass. They watched and waited for some to venture up into the hardwoods to no avail. The goats could smell the wolves hiding under the trees on the ridge. The prevailing wind was from the west and it carried their scent directly to the goats. They would have to go in after them. They would have to jump through the fence as the goats did.
The Decoy Game
On a bright Spring day, at about 6:00 PM, in broad daylight, a bold sand colored female, weighing about 50 lbs., ventured of the woods into the outer unfenced field. As she playfully jumped on voles, she attracted the goats' attention, working ever closer to the curious goats, she kept an eye on an injured one, too weak to keep up with the others.
As she worked her high jumping game with now imaginative voles, she slowly moved ever closer to the fence separating the two parties. The goats were transfixed by this apparently friendly dog, who was giving them a display of her jumping prowess. They remembered the little red fox who used to do this for hours and she was never a threat to them. Even the donkey ignored her after awhile.
There was no way for the goats to know that this Brush wolf had killed the fox and had taken over her den. Her pups were hungry and she desperately needed fresh meat to satisfy their continual craving. Her game was really a ruse to lure a careless goat to slip under the fence so she could grab it. As she worked the fence line eastwards, the goats followed. It appeared her game would bear fruit.
Suddenly, the watching human fired two quick warning shots above her. She quickly bound for cover. Another stratagem would have to be considered.
Origins
T
hese handsome and varied colored predators are a new phenomenon. They are a result of unions between the northern Red Wolf and the Western Coyote. In the early 1990s, dna tests proved that there were Red wolves in Algonquin Park.
The journey of the Red wolf north into south eastern Ontario: Their pre-Columbian range was throughout the eastern US from Texas, north to the Canadian border. The wolf encountered by early Americans east of the Alleghenies was not the Gray wolf, but the Red wolf. Dna tests on mounted specimens have proved this. The St. Lawrence River appears to have been the ancient northern borderline between the Gray and the Reds. In 1980, the Red wolf was declared extinct in the United States by the US Wildlife Service.
Previously unknown by either US or Canadian Wildlife Agencies, there was another isolated healthy population of Red wolves in south-eastern Ontario and south-western Quebec. The advent of intensive farming in this area in the 1800s, resulted in the replacement of most of the eastern coniferous forests with fields and broken patches of hardwoods.
This changing landscape enticed the Virginia White-Tail deer northwards from the north-east US, who in turn, attracted the last vestiges of the northern branch of the Red Wolf (Canis Rufus) from the northeast U.S. There is nor record of Red wolves in Ontario before the 1700s, so conventional wisdom dictates they arrived later.
Their new refuge and population centre became Ontario’s huge Algonquin Provincial Park, where relatively safe from human predation, they prospered.
It
doesn't take a professional naturalist to notice that wild animals who relocate to a northern
climate, eventually undergo some distinct physical changes. They tend to get larger,
darker and their ears get smaller.
It all has to do with conserving heat. A larger body mass, smaller ears to reduce heat loss, and a darker coloration to retain the sun's rays are all advantages in a colder environment.
The American Gray squirrel has become pure black in Canada. The photo at left illustrates what happens to an American gray squirrel population when it migrates into Canada.
This fellow is a giant among squirrels. (The red eye is merely the result of the camera flash.)
The eastern Cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) has increased in size here also, and has become as large as the endemic Varying Hare (Lepus americanus). Some locals have told me the two varieties have hybridized but that is not probable as they are two distinct species, and are too different to copulate.
F
act: In their new northern home, these southern Red wolves grew larger and their ears shrunk, some reaching 97 lbs, enabling them to successfully compete with their neighbours, the Grays. Refer: "Wolf Country" by John T. Theberge.
Red wolves appeared in Algonquin Park before people knew what they were. They were allotted the name "Canis Lycaon" because they were thought to be an undiscovered species of wolf, and were commonly known as the "Eastern" wolf. Now, that name has been transferred by some to the Coyote/northern Red Wolf cross which is called "Brush wolf" in eastern Ontario, and has spread throughout southern Quebec and Atlantic Canada.. Others have allocated it to the Grey wolf/Red wolf hybrids that have appeared, especially in Algonquin Park (referred to as Canis Lupus Lycaon).
It can be seen that these two photos below of Red wolves (the one on the left being the northern variety and the one on the right being the southern variety) illustrate the physical differences that climate has impacted on them. In addition, Canadian Federal and Provincial government sources have published photos and documents describing northern Red wolves as Gray Wolves.
|
|
The following chart was modified from a US Fish & Wildlife Service chart, the Northern Red wolf and Brush wolf columns were added and lb. data was added in bold.
| Species | RED WOLF (Southern) | RED WOLF (Northern) | COYOTE (Western) | BRUSH WOLF
(Red Wolf/Coyote cross) |
| Weight in kg: mean and (extremes) |
22.7 (17.3-34.5) Male 20.0 (16.3-24.5) Female |
35
(27.3-45) Male
27.3 (18.2-32) Female |
13.6 (10-16) Male 12.7 ( 9.5-15.9) Female |
27.3
(20.5-36.4) Male
22.7 (18.2-27.3) Female |
| Weight (in lbs): mean and (extremes) |
50 (38-76) Male 44 (36-54) Female |
80
(60-99) Male
60 (40-70) Female |
30 (22-35.2) Male 28 ( 21-35) Female |
60
(45-80) Male
50 (35-60) Female |
It should be noted that whenever two species hybridize, the resultant offspring will vary far more than would the offspring of each of their respective purebred parents. Only time will tell what the mixture of these two related races of wild canines will ultimately be.
The First Wave
Coyote (pronounced as Kai-yot-ee in the U.S.)
(Pronounced as Kai-yot in Canada.) An American reader could be excused in wondering how a Canadian writer could be presumptive enough to discuss Coyotes let alone expound a Canadian pronunciation for Coyote. After all, most Americans no doubt consider the only Coyotes in Canada are those few that lost their way and strayed across the border into a frozen wilderness.
The facts prove the opposite. It is conservatively estimated there are about 20 million Coyotes in Canada and in all likelihood, the species originated in our Canadian prairies. With a land mass greater than that of the US, and much of that is bereft of man, it is entirely possible there are more Coyotes in Canada than in the US.
But is the coyote we see in Canada the same as the coyote of the American southwest and Mexico? Once, on an automobile trip I made from BC to Ontario, I happened upon a road-kill deer in Manitoba during winter, as a Coyote was scavenging it. He looked all the world like a gray wolf with his thick winter coat and large size. The only differences that struck me was his slender build and the fact no wolf in his right mind would be scavenging near a busy highway.
I could not imagine a similarly coated animal in a hot desert where it never gets as cold as it does in Canada. In Costa Rica, I once met a German Shepherd dog that was purchased in Ontario but had become almost hairless. It had acclimatized to a hot climate, and consequently looked much different than if he had stayed in Canada. In a hot climate, large size & a heavy coat are definite impediments.
Consequently, Coyotes in colder areas of Canada have become larger and have adapted with a heavy winter coat. A taxidermist friend of mine once showed me the difference between eastern Coyote and western Coyote pelts. It was amazing. In a desert or open prairie environment, a large size is not necessary. Those coyotes depend on mice, rabbits, and other small prey to survive. In the east, Coyotes must learn and adapt to survive on larger prey such as Varying hare, fox, beaver, Canada geese, and White tail deer. Here, they must become larger, more aggressive, and maintain a pack society. They started to evolve as soon as they arrived on scene, and that process is continuing today. Studies have confirmed that smaller individuals breed less than do larger specimens. Also, it was found that smaller specimens live shorter lives. These facts validate the theory that Coyotes and Red Wolves in eastern Canada are using natural selection tendencies to increase their body size.
The following paragraph was lifted from a Nova Scotia web site: (Addition in red is mine)
"The eastern coyote is 20 per cent larger than his western counterpart, and has some colour differences. Geneticists suggest that this is at least partly a result of cross-breeding with a southern race of a timber wolf, or possibly it is simply (a necessary) natural selection for larger animals in the east."
We in south-eastern Ontario know another reason why local Coyotes or "Brush wolves" as we call them, are larger than milder-climate Coyote. It is because they have bred with Red wolves who enjoy a relative security in Algonquin Park. See "second wave" below. Studies have proven 13% of Red Wolves in Algonquin Park have Coyote dna.
W
hen the trans-Continental Rail-Roads of the CNR and CPR (began in the 1870s) provided a convenient walking trail for the Western Coyote (Canis Latrans), they drifted in from the west, one at a time, using their legendary wiles and survival instincts. Where a wolf will avoid human settlements like the plague, the Coyote will use them to its advantage. Where wolves will move out of an agricultural area, coyotes will move in. The first confirmed sighting of a western Coyote in Ontario was in 1919.
Today, there are millions.
Coyote fecundancy could theoretically result in about 1005 offspring by the end of the third year - from one pair of coyotes entering a coyote-free territory, given there is no disease nor fatalities, and half of each litter are female. Is it no wonder there has been a Brush wolf population explosion in eastern Canada? It should be kept in mind, a female coyote will breed with a dog if no Coyote male is around, and the offspring are every bit as wild and vicious as was the mother. And remember, coyotes invariably seek out the largest and fiercest males. The above statement makes an interesting mathematical problem, to find out how I came up with 1005, drop off a line at - rioghal@allstream.net
They will set up shop on a golf course, in a park, or anywhere they can use their wits to secure a living. The larger Red and Gray wolves will kill a Coyote on sight if they can catch them, except during the last two weeks in February, when both wolves and coyotes pursue their traditional seasonal solitary wanderings seeking a mate.
This is definitely not the animal we see in eastern Ontario, and call a Brush wolf. However, we can see it in areas of southern Ontario further west. The first wave of put western Coyotes got as far east as eastern Ontario and then petered out as incoming coyotes became hybridized with the Red wolves they encountered in the brief breeding season for both Canid species (last two weeks of February).
Note: Hybridization has also been reported between coyotes and: southern
Red wolves, (Gray) wolves in Minnesota, and Mexican
wolves.
The Second Wave
I
n his two week breeding season, any female Coyote or domesticated dog in heat is as enticing to a solitary male Wolf as is his own kind. The Inuit knew this thousands of years ago, and have used this trait to strengthen their inbred sled teams with wolf bloodlines on a regular basis.
In
the mid 1800s, a new breed of wolf
arose in the east; the
Red Wolf/Western Coyote hybrid, popularly known
locally in eastern Ontario as “Brush Wolves.” 
A more cunning, more diverse,
and more successful variety of wolf than has ever existed before. They spread
eastwards along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, then south into the Maritimes, even across the
Gulf winter ice to P.E.I. and Newfoundland.
The previous eradication of the larger Gray Wolves in those areas had allowed these newcomers to replace them as the apex of the food chain. This was now their domain and they would defend it with their collective lives or perish. There were persistent reports of Beagles and other hounds being killed by these newcomers. People stopped calling them Coyotes. These hybrids come in all colours. I have seen some pure black, wolf gray, and others were a bright red (like a fox).
H
ow do we know for certain these “shape-shifters” are part wolf?Fact: Specimens have been taken from PEI to Trent University in Peterborough, where dna testing conclusively proved they are part wolf. If the brush wolves of PEI are part wolf, surely the same applies to those that continued on to NS and Nfld. These animals have proven to have combined the pack culture of the wolf with the superior cunning of the Coyote. Hybridization is often treated as a biological mistake in ecology texts, However, recent research has determined that across the span of evolution, hybridization has contributed to the diversity of life, and is necessary for species to adapt. From the viewpoint of the Coyote, her union with a wolf must appear as a match made in heaven. However, to some farmers, it is a match made in hell.
Inside Algonquin Park, the wolf reigns supreme and the Coyote is an interloper. Outside the park, it is a different story. Coyotes thrive when not predated by wolves so outside the park, there are countless Coyote packs that will eagerly accept larger, more fierce males as leaders whether they are a product of a Wolf /Coyote union or pure wolf. Since the new male's Coyote mother did not pass on her mitochondria dna to her son, he will exhibit wolf characteristics. So when he is kicked out of his parent pack, he will seek out a comfortable existence outside the park.
How does the introduction of Coyote mitochondria dna in a wolf pack affect its characteristics?
Fact: Mitochondria dna (those handed down from mother to daughter) tests conducted by Robert Wayne's California Laboratory have conclusively proved that 13 percent of Algonquin Park's female Red Wolves have Coyote dna. This suggests that northern Red wolves have been infiltrated by Coyotes (from outside the park), and their female offspring (exclusively) contain Coyote dna and therefore Coyote characteristics.
It is well known among naturalists that the alpha female of a wolf pack is the one that determines when the youngsters (especially female) are driven out of the pack, where the next target will be, and when she will whelp. Any Coyote will whelp a second time in one year when under stress, producing in a good year about 19 pups, compared to about four to six for a wolf - and only Coyotes will whelp as a yearling, and the Alpha female will allow another female to lactate within the pack, not so with wolves. The role of the alpha male is to protect the pack's territory, drive away his potential rivals, lead the pack in a fight and a kill, and pass on his superior survival skills. Simply put, the pack combines her brain and his brawn. It all adds up to an explosive population of Brush wolves when they enter a new territory.
This is a devastating combination! Picture a pack of brush wolves, with a pure Wolf alpha male and a Wolf/Coyote alpha female. (It has never been documented the other way around.) This means the alpha female will behave as a coyote and the alpha male will behave as a wolf. Whereas Coyotes will not kill beavers (as they are too difficult for her smaller size), with her larger offspring, they are fair game, so are White tail deer and even domestic cattle. The predation of the first two is of little interest as their populations are out of control in this area but the predation on livestock is a distinct problem.
To counter devastating raids by Brush Wolves, eastern farmers have taken to using Donkeys, Llamas, even special breeds of guard dogs such as Pyrenees and Komondors who habitually bond with the livestock and guard them 24 hours a day. These Brush Wolves have met these new obstacles with their own devices; subterfuge, cunning, and their innate ability to plan, prepare, and strike with a ruthless military-like precision.
To
illustrate the lack of knowledge of the scientific community of the advance of
the western Coyote/Brush wolf across Canada, the map at left was lifted off a
research web site and dated as 1986.
To correct this map, the originators would have to include Nova Scotia, which saw its first Coyote in 1976, two were shot in 1977.. (The first Coyote was seen in New Brunswick in 1958). How do I know this? I lived in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia during those periods when Coyote attacks against sheep began. Soon, they were seen in all 18 counties of N.S. By 1983, they had been reported in Prince Edward Island, and then Newfoundland in 1987.
Fact: The typical male western Coyote is described as weighing about 30 lbs. In Nova Scotia, adults average more than 50 lbs. Nova Scotia is presently home to approximately 8,000 Brush Wolves. PEI has about 1,000. These constitute the second wave.
Coyotes on Ice
In
1986, the second wave of Coyote/Red Wolf hybrids (Canis Lycaon) crossed the ice
on the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Newfoundland. How did they get there?
In the 1970s, these hybrid Coyotes learned to hunt baby seals on the ice of the
Gulf. It was merely a matter of time before some of them would notice a
land to the east that promise new opportunities.
Predictably, Newfoundlanders now assume that 60% of the Caribou and Moose calves are culled by Coyotes every Spring. Actual studies have indicated they are responsible for 15% of this predation. There are still bears and bobcats on the island who also predate the herbivores. The entire province has been colonized by this new wolf, and in its semi-isolation, this population may become the largest Coyote hybrids in the world.
Why
make that statement? As the physiology of any predator is mostly
influenced by their prey, and in this case, the large herbivores, Moose and
Caribou, are their primary source of meat.
In the west, coyotes have developed a diet of mostly mice, grass, and if they are lucky - the odd bit of carrion. In the east, they have grown larger, packed-up, and consequently are primarily meat eaters, specifically, Deer, Caribou, Moose and domestic cattle/sheep. The most successful packs will dominate and expand, replacing those less efficient. So size does matter in this context..
One disadvantage that pure Coyotes in the east have to contend with is that when confronted by their larger hybrid cousins, they either flee or fight a losing battle. Their only recourse in many areas is to take to the cities, and hope the big ones will stay where the deer and moose roam. To check out my article on "Coyotes in the City", click here.
Having doubled in size since hybridizing with Red Wolves in or near Algonquin Park, these Coyotes are the new "super" Coyote. With the cunning of their maternal Coyote mothers and the size of their paternal Red Wolf fathers, they have carved out a niche previously held by the Grey Wolves who used to live in the Atlantic provinces.
The Newfoundland Department of Environment and Conservation estimates the Coyote population on the island to be between 5,000 and 10,000. Nowhere have bounties or persecution caused the elimination of coyotes, so like it or not, it looks like the new super coyote is here to stay.
One can be certain, that Coyotes in the east will be studied every which way but crooked to determine if there is some way to eradicate or at least control them. Good Luck!!!
The Third Wave
While the second wave of "Brush wolves" (a hybrid Coyote/Red Wolf) swept across south-eastern Canada, from Algonquin Park to the Maritimes and Newfoundland), with help from the Ontario MNR, a larger more ferocious brush wolf emerged in southeastern Ontario, especially in Lanark and Leeds-Grenville counties.
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in its wisdom, started releasing Gray wolves from northern Ontario into southeastern Ontario in the 1990s - to thin out the overabundant White Tail deer population here. First in the Marlboro Forest, then later three at a time in the Limerick forest, and further west along Leeds & Grenville County Road 15, and elsewhere. Witnesses saw the releases, although the MNR never admitted to them.
In fairness, all Provincial departments of Natural Resources have agreed that a healthy deer population requires a correspondingly healthy predator population. E.g. In Lanark County, more deer are killed by vehicle collisions than by hunting. But what would keep these new "super Coyotes" from turning on domestic livestock?
Soon, huge Blacks and Grays were reported seen running with local Brush wolves. (Here is where the cunning of the coyote came into play; If a better individual made his presence known, why fight it. Accept him and make him a part of your gene pool. In that way, the pack gets stronger and more effective). The general population of Brush wolves became noticeably larger, and became a greater problem to local farmers. 600 lb cattle were routinely brought down. Not only hounds but larger dogs were routinely reported killed by wolves. As wolf attacks became more numerous and more devastating, local farmers began taking more drastic measures to protect their stock.
These measures varied from acquiring several donkeys, bringing in the sheep at night, laying out multi-strand, higher voltage electric fences, erecting 7' game fencing, housing packs of guard dogs, even feeding the wolves. Some met with varying degrees of success, others less so.
Fact: A pack of "Coyotes" near Perth (20 miles away) was dna tested by the Ontario MNR in 2004. It was determined the Alpha male was a pure Gray wolf, the mother was a Coyote. It has never been found to have occurred the other way around, so it appears that female Coyotes and Coyote/Wolf hybrids (Brush wolves) favour larger sized males (pure wolves). It is my contention the Perth pack was not a unique situation. It has happened every time the MNR has "dropped off" a male Gray wolf in this area. The intruding male wolf would merely have to kill or drive off the incumbent alpha Brush wolf and the pack was his. The consequence of this program will affect the farmers in all of eastern North America for many years to come.
Fact: Private research (Nowak, 1979) indicates the gray wolf and Brush wolf has also hybridized in Algonquin Park, where the subspecies C. lupus lycaon now occurs. Similar research has proven these wolf/coyote crosses have resulted in a more aggressive animal, more prone to attack cattle and sheep herds than either of their parent stock. Gray wolves have weighed in at 176 lbs.
The above makes perfect sense when one considers what happens when the inevitable meeting of a released gray wolf with a Brush wolf pack. The alpha male Brush wolf immediately confronts the interloper and a fight ensues. The gray wolf kills the alpha male and take over leadership of the pack, no doubt to the utter joy of the alpha female.
Which leads me to answer another question - Will a domesticated Siberian Husky, raised in an enclosure with no human handling, revert to a wolf -like life style? The answer is definitely
YES! I allowed a litter of purebred Siberian Huskies to be raised by their mother in a controlled environment inside a one acre enclosure. They were born in a den with no human contact. The older dogs, who had been raised with human contact did not go wild but the pups were completely unmanageable, and attacked other dogs who came close to the fence. I would never recommend that procedure to anyone.
Up until the late 1990s, it was legal to breed dogs with wolves in Ontario. The most attractive hybrid was the Siberian Husky/Gray wolf cross. Due to the great demand, I indulged in it myself until the practice was outlawed. There have been reports of recent wolf-husky hybrids, some of which were turned loose after they became an illegal commodity. I have also been called to pick up individuals that were found far from home after chasing a deer.
In the Spring of 2005, I was called to look
at a "dropped off" dog nearby. It was definitely part Siberian
Husky. The other part was probably Gray wolf. He has the coat of a
Siberian and the body of a wolf. I took him to a vet and got his
vaccinations up to date and found he was neutered. If he was dropped
off by a government agency to introduce a "non fertile" alpha
male into a Brush wolf pack, it would not have worked, as Coyote alpha
females are not loyal to their mates during the short breeding season.
They will wander off looking for variety. I kept him for a time and called him
"Nikko".
Nikko, on the
right, was at first quite uninterested in my goats, but after he matured, he
lunged at them any time he saw one. There was a fire inside him that
was missing in my regular Huskies. 
He
was a perfect gentleman in the car and on a leash, but I would never trust him to be let loose. He has the
coloration of a Siberian Husky and the body of a wolf. Note his wolf-like
long nose and legs - and thin body (no matter how much he eats). When he
matures, he should fill out with more hair and body fat. He has brown
eyes. Compare this photo with the next one (of a typical gray wolf ).
Where wolves (both C. Lupus & C. Rufus) are too timid to occupy an agricultural area, and C. Latrans is too ineffectual with its small size and lone lifestyle, their hybrids successfully combine the size and pack society of wolves with the craftiness and boldness of the Coyote, enabling them to bring down animals normally out of the reach of pure coyotes.
Notwithstanding
the Mexican adage about things staying in Mexico, things that happen in Lanark County spread outwards. As
they say in the movies "You aint seen nothing yet".
If livestock farmers in southern Quebec and the Maritimes think they have
managed to control the "Coyote" problem, wait until they
experience the third wave. A larger, more ferocious "Brush wolf
" is coming your way soon. The 40 - 70 lb animal you are used
to will soon be well over 100 lbs. Simply put, what we have now is a
coyote the size of a gray wolf - or to put it another way, a gray wolf with the
cunning of a coyote. 
It may take ten, twenty years, but the larger version will eventually spread throughout the east bringing shock and awe in their wake. It is only natural that the established "Canis Lycaon" brush wolves will gradually be overshadowed and bred out by their larger cousins. Female Brush wolves will seek out the largest male they can find. Natural selection, survival of the fittest, call it whatever you may, a hybrid wolf/coyote with the size and strength of a wolf combined with the cunning and adaptability of a coyote is coming to a vicinity near you.
Fact: In southeastern Ontario, the third wave has arrived.
Their success may ultimately lead them to veer westwards and repopulate the US mid-west and areas in western Canada where the lonely coyote now reigns supreme. The success of the eastern Coyote in hybridizing with wolves may come back to haunt his ancestors in their ancestral western homeland. Perhaps the future of the pure-blooded Coyote is in jeopardy. The only condition that would halt their advance is the absence or extreme scarcity of prey animals.
The Preparation
B
ack in Montague, our group of six have been watching a particular herd of goats contained only by a rather flimsy fence with
seven strands of electric wire. Watching intensely, they noticed some goats would casually
dip under the bottom wire, lift it, shorting out the live wires, and would graze contentedly in the longer grass
of the outer fields, unprotected by donkeys, nor by anything else. The alpha male and female remembered the
day two years previous here, when he watched from cover as she chased 12 horned Dorsets across the north
field, and they had formed a Musk ox-like circle facing outwards. She was merely playing with them that day,
but a few weeks later, the pack had managed to ambush the sheep outside the fence, drove them into the
brush, and killed four of them. That was a good Spring.
T
his pasture was now bereft of sheep, and now contained goats, an easier prey, with fewer defence instincts. It was alongside the pack’s regular route, which they traversed at will. From the shadows of nearby cover, they watched the goats - and waited for their opportunity. Pastured with the goats was a medium size male donkey and an 800 lb Charolais/Hyland heifer, who together, watched over the herd. There was also Rambut, the lone aged Ram.
T
he seven resident Siberian Huskies were penned up, so they could not affect a raid. They could only make noises. There was a nearby large Husky/Collie, “Roger”, who was loose but he would not interfere, only bark, or he would be easily dispatched in the melee. No problem there. As humans and their fire-sticks were the major concern, they would have to wait until no human was present. The pack noticed some goats would routinely jump through the fence, their thick winter coats protecting them from the electric contact. This was their cue.
Rambut in his prime
R
ambut was a Horned Dorset Ram, who was approaching the end of his life. In his prime, he would not hesitate to charge any nearby wolf or dog but now he was frail, and near death. As he grew weaker, the alpha male decided this was the one the pack was most interested in. It would be an easy kill, and there was an old score to settle. Occasionally, one pack member was designated to walk along the outside of the fence - to test the reaction of the herd. The only ones who appeared to notice were the Donkey and the Ram. They intently watched the solitary wolf until it disappeared in the woods. Perhaps the fat heifer would be no problem.
T
he more adventurous goats used to duck under the fence and go to the nearby hardwoods on the ridge to chew on the succulent maple twigs, but once they noticed the lurking wolves, they stopped going there. For an entire Summer, Autumn, and Winter, the goats refrained from venturing out of the protected pasture. The entire herd spent every night in the safety of the outbuilding as the donkey guarded the open entrance. It was impossible to attack at night.
During the winter of 2005/2006, the herd would often spend the night laying on the remaining dry hay that the human had placed there for feed in the morning. It was more comfortable there with fresh air and a nice breeze. The wolves noticed, and they attacked one night in early February. The donkey saved the herd from disaster and fought ferociously. It was over in a few minutes when the black withdrew in frustration. After that incident, the herd spent every night in the outbuilding with the donkey guarding the open doorway. A night time attack was out of the question. The pack was becoming desperate.
The Day Attack in Mid April
H
unger was having its effect, and the survival of the unborn pups was in jeopardy
as the Alpha female, as well
as the entire pack, were becoming weaker with the lingering starvation of a sparse winter.
They desperately
needed the protein of a large kill. On a warm day in mid-April, the decision was made to attack.
The heifer would be the primary target, Rambut was the second.
It was a quiet day as the quarry just south of the hardwoods was vacant. They would wait and find out if conditions were right for an attack. The pack approached the farmland, they scattered, circling the property to take up their positions. It was mid-morning before every member was in position. Two juveniles stayed hidden in the thick Cedars of the southern fringe by the pond.
The Alpha female and a juvenile went to the ridge to the west, and watched.. The Alpha male and another juvenile sprinted across the north end of the pasture and lunged into the brush, adjacent to the outbuilding where the herd had spent the night.
U
nknowingly, the black was spotted as it lunged for the brush from the field. The time was 10:15 AM. The spotter checked two nearby houses to see if the black animal was a neighbour’s dog, but they were all accounted for. It was a Brush Wolf! Were there more in the vicinity? What were they up to?
T
he smell of death was in the air as the old Ram laid on his side, too weak to join in the daily feeding. He could not find the strength to leave the outbuilding. This would be his last day on earth. The human finally departed the scene at 12:00 noon, leaving the herd satiated with grain - and alone. For three more hours, the wolves stayed out of sight, unseen, patiently watching every move of the herd.
A
t 3:00 PM, with everything quiet, the black Alpha male silently began running towards the herd from the north, with his tail up
flanked by another.
Ever watchful, the other four took his
lead and immediately followed suit, running towards the grazing herd. They came
from three directions, heading for the heifer. They easily jumped
through the electric fence without as much as a jolt. As two passed by the pen of the largest
Husky, he ran into his den with his tail between his legs. The other six Huskies did likewise.
The wolves snarled loudly as they reached the herd. Next door, Roger heard the snarling and crept into his doghouse. The dogs were terrified of these huge intruders. Answering their calls from a safe distance was one thing but up close they were simply too fearsome. The watching human felt the hairs on his neck tinge. A primordial fear arose within him. He began to sweat and started to back off.
P
andemonium broke loose as the wolves scattered the goats. The donkey reacted quickly and became berserk. Braying loudly, he kicked, bit and tossed wolves in every direction. One wolf lunged for a small kid, its mother attempted to gore the attacker with her tiny 3 inch horns and was grabbed by the neck for her bother. The donkey came to her rescue. At first, the heifer did her best to protect the goats. Then she realized she was the target. She bellowed loudly and lunged at the wolves, all of her 800 lbs became a fighting machine.
At first, two wolves turned on the heifer. She bellowed loudly, kicking all the while, as she ran for the safety of the outbuilding. Two more wolves quit the fray with the donkey and chased after the heifer. All four wolves tried to bring her down by striking at her legs and sides. The goats had expeditiously ran to the south end of the pasture, safe for the moment. The donkey ran after the heifer to help beat off the four wolves who were tormenting her.
Together, they scattered them. The donkey went after the black male and kicked him in the air, momentarily rendering him unconscious. The others became bewildered and cut off the attack. Leaderless, they became unnerved. The black regained consciousness and limped toward the northern fence. The pack broke off the attack and retreated as one towards the ridge and the hardwoods to the west. It was over in an instant. the donkey threw himself after the retreating wolves, and hit the electric fence sideways in a fit of anger. As 3,000 volts pulsated through his body, he jumped off all four feet and brayed as loud as he could in uncontrolled rage.
Ten minutes later, they had regrouped and returned. This time, two broke off and went into the outbuilding to maul Rambut. The other four had charged the waiting donkey, who was waiting with an attitude. He met them head on, kicking and biting. This time, the fray only lasted a few minutes. The pack disappeared over the western ridge, and headed northwards for home.
T
he pack rendezvoused shortly after, where they licked each other’s faces in obvious enjoyment. The pack was intact! They had tasted blood, and had fought the good fight. All were accounted for. Except for some bruises, no one was seriously hurt. It was a day to remember - and learn. There would be a next time.
An Evaluation
M
iraculously, no goat was seriously hurt. The outcome of this attack might have been far different if, by pure chance, a friend of the owner, had not happened to arrive just as the attack began. Therefore, an accurate account of the entire incident is available. People were used to wolves attacking at night but now the intuitive Brush wolves have taken to operating in the middle of the day, an indication of their resourcefulness and their ability to adjust.
T
he only fatality was Rambut, the old warrior who had watched over his herd of sheep, then goats, for well over ten years. The only other effects were a roughed up heifer, three very frightened kids, and two canine tooth marks on one small but courageous white doe. I believe the donkey and “Butterball” became a little closer that day. Nowadays, I often look out and see the two of them grazing close together while keeping a watch on the goats. Butterball’s wounds will heal. I often see her lying on a patch of hay with most of the goats close by. The smaller ones enjoy crawling up on her. She doesn’t appear to mind a bit.
H
owever, one has to grudgingly admire these “Brush” wolves, whose only objective is to secure a living off the lesser inhabitants of their domain. They should not be underestimated. Meanwhile, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) claim there is no Coyote problem in Ontario.
Conclusions
Although "Coyotes" had previously been known to have preferred to attack during the cover of darkness, and almost never were seen to attack domestic animals in the daytime, they are now confident enough to attack anytime of the day.
Domestic dogs are practically useless in discouraging the new "Brush Wolf" attacks as they are so large now that the dogs are intimidated and will not interfere. More and more farmers are now referring to them as wolves, not coyotes.
The best animal to have as an effective defence against these new wolves is a good donkey. The more the better.
If one is to pasture cattle in an unprotected pasture, they should be horned. One cow by itself is practically defenceless against wolves. A number of cows (or sheep) will form a protective circle, facing outwards when threatened by wolves.
Wolves prefer to go after cattle rather than goats.
Butterball is a healthy 4 years old and weighs about 800 lbs, and she was a dynamo during the fracas. If her horns had not been burned off by her previous owner, she would have inflicted terrible damage on some wolves. Her wounds can be seen in this photo taken the day after the attack, where chunks of hair was bitten off. Both the donkey and Butterball are heroes for their successful stand against the pack of wolves. I plan to relocate a young unrelated Hyland/Charolais bull (with horns) into her pasture in the Autumn so she will eventually have her first calf. The outbuilding can be seen in the background.
Referencing: Where not mentioned above, all the incidents and facts related above were either witnessed by me, related to me by my neighbours and friends, included in the Canadian Geographic television presentation “Shape-Shifters”, or lifted from books written by John Theberge, also the Department of Natural Resources of Nova Scotia..
A Survey of Local Farmers Who Have Had Experiences With Brush Wolves
Farmer H: Turkey farmer. He was "wiped out" in 2005. He had two donkeys who were overwhelmed by the relentless attacks of a wolf pack.
