2101_1152 Tolerance
Part 3 of 3: Badger and Coyote have settled down and turned their attention to the photographer, who has by now slithered out of his rolling red Toyota blind and is crawling through the snow and mud toward them. Coyote wasn't putting up with that. She made a quick exit, stage right, keeping a wary eye on the intruder. How close did Badger allow me to approach? Tune in tomorrow.
As for the mutual tolerance of these two predators for each other, this is the most companionable moment I've seen (we're talking species now, not individuals). They have a long, well documented association as hunters, one often following the other on their rounds, and there must be mutual benefit from this or it would not happen. I've witnessed this behaviour on many occasions. But I've never seen two hanging out like this - very close and relatively calm. Nature continues to surprise me.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
2101_1152 Tolerance
Part 3 of 3: Badger and Coyote have settled down and turned their attention to the photographer, who has by now slithered out of his rolling red Toyota blind and is crawling through the snow and mud toward them. Coyote wasn't putting up with that. She made a quick exit, stage right, keeping a wary eye on the intruder. How close did Badger allow me to approach? Tune in tomorrow.
As for the mutual tolerance of these two predators for each other, this is the most companionable moment I've seen (we're talking species now, not individuals). They have a long, well documented association as hunters, one often following the other on their rounds, and there must be mutual benefit from this or it would not happen. I've witnessed this behaviour on many occasions. But I've never seen two hanging out like this - very close and relatively calm. Nature continues to surprise me.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.