Researchers Photograph Coyote Escaping California Wildfires

The recent California wildfires have unseen and forgotten victims, the thousands of wild animals that inhabit the hills and mountains surrounding and intermingling with the zones inhabited by humans: bobcats, mountain lions, deer, and coyotes. These are just some of the animals affected by the fires.

Naturally, it is difficult to know how animal populations survive these threatening situations.

However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has recorded the escape of one wily coyote from the wildfires, and they have photographs. The photos were taken by an automated camera called a camera trap. Motion detectors trigger the camera, which is set up in a strategic location where wildlife is known to pass. In this case, the camera trap survived the fire in Orange County, located between Los Angeles and San Diego.

The coyote is seen escaping from the fire by running down a dry creek bed; other photos show the fire decimating the local plant growth, mostly native mule fat, Baccharis salidifolia. After the fire only the skeletal remains of the plants can be seen. The camera also records melted scientific equipment laying on the ground. Finally, a couple of days after the fire, apparently the same coyote returns to the area, sauntering up the creek bed towards the burned areas, having survived the fire.

The creek bed is called Borrego Wash, and scientists have over 30 pictures of bobcats and seven of coyotes from the recent past.

The USGS researchers responsible for the photographs are Dr. Erin Boydston and Lisa Lyren. They collaborate with Dr. Kevin Crooks of Colorado State University.

The wash is surrounded by developed land, a road, agricultural land, buildings, and part of a former military base. Wildlife has become adept at surviving not just fires, but close proximity to human beings. It has little choice but to do so in areas where humans encroach on the surrounding, wild areas. Local residents are used to seeing coyotes, even though they usually shy away from humans. They are especially camera shy, which is why these photographs are so unusual.

Fires put more stress on territorial animals. Some might feel pressured to migrate to other areas, but usually these areas are already populated. The newcomers are not welcomed by the local residents. Even trying to pass through an inhabited area to another causes stress, and often only marginal areas close to humans are available for repopulation.

Camera traps help scientists to understand migration patterns, and rarely, as in this case, pinpoint individuals reacting to threatening fires.

Pictures are available at the source site listed below.

Cameras Capture Wildlife Wildfire Images, USGS