GOD LOVES THEM TOO
By Christy Lowman
Burke County
There are several animals and insects that people dislike. They dislike them so much that the most popular reaction to seeing them is to kill them. Can you think of animals and insects that people dislike?
One of the most disliked animals in North Carolina and the United States is the Coyote. Their name comes from the Aztec word coyote which means “barking dog.”
The coyote population has grown significantly. They have been able to adapt to many different surroundings to survive. They are not native to North Carolina but can now be found in all our 100 counties. They can also be found in every state in the United States except for Hawaii. Their range reaches from Central America to Canada. They even live in every major city in the US.
Coyotes resemble a mixture of a dog and a wolf. A good way to distinguish if the animal you are seeing is a dog or coyote, is the coyote has a very bushy tail with a black tip and will always hold it downward even when they are running. Dogs do not do this. Adult coyotes weigh anywhere from 20-45 pounds. The males are always bigger. Their fur can be grayish brown, or reddish brown. The fur on its upper body can be a yellowish gray in color while the fur on its stomach and throat is white. They have pointy ears that stand up straight, and their long tail is half as long as their body.
Sometimes coyotes breed with wolves and dogs. The ones that breed with wolves result in a larger animal and are called coywolves. It is believed that eastern coyotes have interbred and that is why they are larger than western coyotes.
Coyotes are digitigrade mammals which are mammals who walk and run on their toes to reduce being heard when traveling. They can also jump up to four meters horizontally and run up to 45 mph when hunting or fleeing danger.
Coyotes are also monogamous animals which means they mate for life. They usually give birth to around 4-6 pups, but some have had as many as 19 pups at one time.
The pups are born blind and will not open their eyes until they are 12 days old. Pups are raised by both of their parents and will start hunting on their own at 6 months of age. Male pups will live with their family for up to nine months and the females may stay in their family pack for their entire life.
Coyote’s lifespan in the wild is 10 years while they can live up to 18 years in captivity.
Coyotes are known as the most vocal wild mammal in the North American continent. They can make 11 different noises and sounds. This ability can make only 2 coyotes sound like an entire pack of coyotes. These 11 sounds are growl, howl, huff, woof, bark, bark howl, lone howl, group yip howl, whine, group howl, greetings song, and yelps.
One thing that helps coyotes survive is their willingness to eat almost anything. Coyotes mostly hunt at night but can also be seen out during the day. They are omnivores and will eat berries, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, trash, human-made food, rodents, insects, birds, pets, and livestock. They have 42 teeth.
Predators of the coyote are humans, bears, cougars, and wolves.
The important thing to remember is that even though we might despise coyotes, for whatever reason, whether it is because they are eating our farm animals, or they attacked our pets or even killed one, God still made them and loves them. They were made for a purpose.
Did you know that God even loves bad, evil people? This includes murderers, people who have hurt children, and those who have done other horrible things. They were also made for a purpose. We need to remember that God loves them just like He loves us. He still has hope that they will turn from their evil ways and turn to Him. It is also important for us to love them in Christ. We are to hate the sin but still love the sinner. It doesn’t mean we have to become friends with them, but it means we must forgive them for what they have done and pray for them. If possible, we need to witness to them and tell them about Jesus. If you can not do these things at least forgive them. This is not an easy task especially if you were affected personally by a person who committed an evil act.
Jesus loved Judas even after Judas betrayed Him which resulted in his death. As hard as it is for us to understand, according to God, all sin is considered the same in His eyes.
Dear Lord, please help us to forgive the evil people who are out there. Help us remember they have a God-given purpose that they are supposed to do for you. Even though many people hate these people just like they hate the coyotes, help us remember that you made them and love them too.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5: 43-45
Bibliography
https://www.orangecountync.gov/328/Interesting-Coyote-Facts
https://www.treehugger.com/cool-facts-about-coyotes-4864517
http://www.naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/coyote_712.html
https://www.visitbigsky.com/articles/post/interesting-facts-about-coyotes/
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Christy Lowman is a Christian author and illustrator that lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two children. She enjoys writing and illustrating books for all ages. Some of her short stories are published with Guideposts and HCI. Christy gives all the glory to God in everything she does. A portion of every book sold from the Small Bible Character Series will be donated to battle human trafficking. If you enjoy her books, “like’ her author page on Facebook and let her know! You can buy her books at //www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AChristy+Lowman&s=relevancerank&text=Christy+Lowman&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1. You can reach her at //www.facebook.com/authorChristyLowman/
or christyssoaps@yahoo.com
You can read more Christian news from Christy here.
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