On the prairie Coyotes are always nearby and the community and story of the flock is always in flux. Safe one day, not safe the next.
When predators encroach and attempt to kill it is not only the livestock guardian dogs that are called to action. The shepherd now needs to make quick management decisions – can the flock stay where it is, is day shepherding needed, is night penning required, is a move to a new pasture in order, will there be enough feed and a water source there? If not, then what?
When a decision is reached the herding dogs are called to action to make it all doable.
Coexistence is a collective effort of man, beast and nature, even though our individual goals may not be the same.
To coexist each much suffer wins and losses and be okay with that, knowing the balanced outcome is what we’re all reaching for. This is what makes coexistence so unique and powerful. But when mankind decides we can’t possibly suffer a loss things become heavily skewed – enter the present day circumstances here. Always there is an over abundance of suffering for one party. From this point onward it will take even longer to reach a state of balance again.
Yes, Coyotes are always nearby but more often than not they are passing through. And while we need to vent the frustration and anguish of losses when they occur it is equally important to give gratitude for all the days in between, when the natural miracle of coexistence is at play.