Coyotes vs. Wolves - An Unequal Battle in Yellowstone National Park | Free Documentary Nature

foreign [Music] The Barking Dog some call him coyote the American Indian knew him as godstock and the trickster sometimes living in packs or hunting alone competing with other Hunters foreign skillful Hunter but now he has to confront the wolf in Yellowstone and his sometimes hunted himself by the wolf even his prey can be a danger or impossible to catch in Yellowstone the wolf is his most dangerous adversary as a generalist Predator the coyote will eat almost anything he is constantly harassed by Ravens in an eternal and contentious competition [Music] with the return of the wolf the coyote is now the underdog in Yellowstone [Music] for over 50 years Yellowstone's valleys were filled with elk and bison grizzly bears and mountain lions roamed the mountains the wolf had been exterminated in this environment the coyote was Top Dog [Music] coyotes were then numerous in the landscape when the wolf was not yet returned elk died during severe Winters providing food to the coyote packs when it was most needed by pregnant females coyotes grouped in packs to defend their territories marked by the river in this instance coyote Pacs confronted each other and judged the strength of the other packs their primary competitors before the return of wolves coyotes had assumed the role of the missing wolves in the northern valleys of Yellowstone sometimes preying on elk calves [Music] but the doe would defend her fawn [Music] occasionally the coyotes could kill a weakened mule deer [Music] then in the winter of 1995 wolves were brought back to Yellowstone [Music] when the Wolves were released the coyote was reduced from Top Dog to Underdog at first 14 wolves were set free in Northern Yellowstone [Music] other wolves were added in subsequent years [Music] until there were 170 wolves living in Yellowstone National Park they spread throughout the park to form 10 packs and to encounter their smaller cousin the coyote [Applause] now the coyotes watch knowing they must always keep a watchful eye for the top dog the wolf of a hundred pound wolf may just ignore the coyotes [Music] the Wolves main prey in Yellowstone were the elk the wolf was large enough to take down elk something the coyote was unable to do [Music] it come from Canada where they had hunted elk for eons they were quickly able to fit in here where elk were so abundant [Music] the Wolves fed on the kale first consuming most of it wolves are not always Gray they can be almost black or sometimes Almost White but the coyote is always brownish Gray the wolves are always much larger than the coyote they can be twice or even three times the size of the coyote the coyote is no match for this canine cousin the Wolves often remained to protect their kill the coyote must wait for the Wolves to leave if he was not careful the coyote himself could fall victims to the wolf ah the Wolves leave but could return at a wolf kill the coyote was vulnerable the gray alpha wolf leads the pack charge the coyote had to run for his life usually the coyote would escape the pursuing wolves but many did not [Music] [Applause] in Yellowstone today the coyote lives in an environment that is similar to what it was before the arrival of European man sometimes a harsh environment an environment supporting the large mammals that have existed here for thousands of years but with the dominance of the wolf the coyote has changed a coyote that must operate as the underdog a coyote locates a vole 15 feet away side and hearing locates the small prey under the snow the bulk of the coyotes diet has always been rodents mice voles and ground squirrels in the summer in Winter a coyote may have to dig deep into the snow to find its prey amazingly he can hear and pinpoint a mouse under two feet of snow but this is ridiculous plowing through this cornice would require a dig of 20 feet just to reach ground level [Music] foreign [Music] balls are numerous the coyote can catch five or six in an hour time to celebrate with a coyote version of a high five like the coyote the Fox 2 survives largely on bulls and mice [Music] they have honed the skill to an athletic feet at an Olympic level [Laughter] [Music] the fox sleeps comfortably even when the temperature drops to 40 below he subsists mainly on voles and mice but he can find the carcasses left by the wolves sometimes from a long way off [Music] and sometimes a flock of ravens will lead a fox to the kill wolves have killed a bison and have eaten their fill now the wolves have left to sleep it off it is now safe for the fox and coyote between these two the coyote will get the first choice ever aware of the Coyote's slightest movement the foxes Dash away when the coyote makes a move to leave when the coyote has left the Fox Family moves in to take advantage of the wolves kill sometimes persuasion has to be firm and convincing a rear guard action takes the brunt of the fight foreign bald eagle uses a touch and go routine to secure a scrap left on the snow coyotes often carry pieces of meat and bones away from the source of the turmoil at a carcass scavengers take advantage of wolf kills none of them are above taking from each other especially the eagle [Music] all the Scavengers compete with each other but the coyotes and golden eagle may put on the best show [Music] the coyote respects the Eagle's talents he is a powerful bird able to keep three coyotes at Bay the coyote is careful to turn his back to protect Head and Shoulders from the Eagle's talons [Music] the coyote makes off with his scavenged morsel the golden eagle is not through with him flying speed adds Force to the Eagle's talents [Music] thank you [Music] [Applause] if a coyote could fly this coyote would still be chasing this antagonist finally the eagle relinquishes his claims to these leftovers the eternally Vigilant Raven will find the most insignificant morsel left by wolf or coyote and yet another carcass a bison has avoided wolves only to succumb to winter weather this time the coyotes have found the animal before the wolves for the moment all the need is theirs but they have rules for who will feed the Coyote's posture hunched back gaping mouth tail tucked are all meant to intimidate a rifle usually the alpha male prevails still two coyotes are a threat to a lone coyote [Music] after feeding a coyote will clean his muzzle of dried blood dried blood cannot defer reducing its insulating ability an Ever attendant Raven may follow suit [Music] foreign [Music] ER cold settles heavily over Yellowstone where temperatures can descend to 40 degrees below zero [Music] like the fox the coyote can bed comfortably on top of the snow in spite of the temperature foreign ER gives a vantage point to watch for wolves [Music] coyotes can be active at any time of day [Music] February is the breeding season [Music] her urine marks this territory as theirs and the male reinforces that claim [Music] the coyote couple will go through life seldom apart raising their pups bringing food to the den and defending against other predators [Music] they are a bonded pair now a bonding that will continue for life [Music] although Pacs are small now they still defend their Denning territory [Music] Native Americans called him song dog their songs varied but to a coyote they carry distinct messages the appal declares to other coyotes that this territory is occupied they are answered by a neighboring pack [Music] the boundary has been challenged this challenge has to be met the two packs engage each other for rights to this territory when wolf packs meet there may be dead wolves left on the ground but coyotes settle differences without bloodshed there's a great deal of posturing and threatening stances taken between the two groups the alpha males threaten each other in a dance for dominance [Music] coyotes of course do kill they are predators otters emerge from their den deep in a snow bank they're in the territory of a small coyote pack the coyotes have spotted them the Otters are Supreme fighters in the water but in this situation her short legs are no contest against the Coyotes her only hope is to get back to the dam blood left on the snow attests to the intensity of the pursuit late winter storms break across the landscape Winter Winds test the dense fur of the coyote for the invent of coyote the win offers other possibilities motion always attracts their attention and the wind will turn stationary objects into toys [Applause] [Music] the play is a distinct indicator of intelligence prominently on display here that quality exists in many animal species like the Ravens the Ravens constantly monitor the coyote hoping for some scrap of food he has found but just another wind blown item that he regards as a toy a tuft of hair to challenge his catching ability foreign introduces a piece of grass to the Coyote's attention [Music] the blowing grass in turn will introduce a new player he will play this game too [Music] three completely different animals have reacted to the same non-edible item all showing a high degree of intelligence [Music] as winter turns towards Spring the ice covering the pond starts to weaken once she falls through the ice she is unable to secure a foothold on the bottom of the pond the herd watches but are unable to offer any help her struggles will continue for hours until she finally succumbs to the cold and exhaustion even before wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone coyotes had to defend their dance from other predators the grizzly has wandered into a coyote Pax Denning area the quicker coyote easily distracts the bear to lead her away from the downside foreign will ensure that bear moves in the right direction as a pack member looks on the standoff eventually tires the bear to make her forget the den under the watchful eye of the coyotes returning geese take their turn to check the progress of spring saw laughs [Music] the retreating Snow Line reveals the Contours of the pond a Wandering wolf has drawn the attention of the grizzly [Music] no longer hold the weight of a hundred pound wolf unlike the Bison predators are equipped with sharp claws and mobile legs [Music] this is not the first time the wolf has pulled himself out of icy water wolves have been on the landscape for 25 years now and coyotes have adjusted to life with a much larger canine [Music] a single wolf is no longer a threat to the quicker coyote nipping at exposed parts has been in the coyote repertoire for thousands of years the coyote 2 Ventures onto the ice and breaks through astonishingly this icy dunking has little negative effect on him it has been a long winter and some fish have perished a reason for the coyote to venture onto the ice he's still cautious but finds his treasure the expired fish with the warming temperatures the dead bison has been exposed a Grizzly arrives to extract the frozen treasure that has the attention of the whole Wildlife Community here the grizzly is the only animal strong enough to haul out this prize the coyotes watch knowing they will eventually get a share of those remains [Music] with a carcass out of the water the coyotes will have to access the food if only the bear wasn't there distracting the bear a stealthy coyote can secure a few scraps in a surprising moment of altruism a coyote shares a stolen piece with his mate the safe practice simply wait wait for the bear to take a nap then they will have complete access to this food except for the pesky Ravens [Music] arriving Sand Hill cranes announced the further advance of spring the call can be heard for miles [Music] the cranes will Nest here but for now the floating carcass and curious coyote attract their attention the bear has missed this carcass as it floats just below the surface of the pond but the coyote knows its location foreign additional weight and it will sink a problem for the coyote unable to grasp the carcass the coyote is forced to give up and Retreat to contemplate the situation the ice is left the pond and in the surrounding Mars transforms itself into a nesting site for birds each with its own mating ritual for the sandhill crane the ritual is truly distinctive an unbridled flamboyant exhibition of unrequited love it would seem the male demonstrates to his partner how strong and powerful and protective he can be and how good a dancer that Spirit can infect the Casual Observer [Music] the second male fights for the rights to Nest at the park with the outcome I'm resolved [Music] spring snow squalls bring a brief return to winter-like conditions foreign but the new snow soon begins to melt all members of the pack will feed the pups at the dam in due course but for now this female has been hunting to feed herself she needs to ensure her milk supply for the pups [Music] when they're about three weeks old they will begin to eat solid food brought in by the adults but for now she leaves to hunt for herself leaving the pups to their own devices [Music] foreign [Music] they continue their games until nap time will overtake them [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] occasionally a coyote will team up with other animals to hunt ground squirrels Chief among these hunting Partners is the badger coyotes will hunt side by side with a badger he does this because the badger is a powerful digging machine he can easily dig out a ground squirrel from its den [Music] the partnership can be a contentious one but for coyote will hunt in tandem with a badger until a den is located [Music] the squirrel escapes by leaping into his hole [Music] but he may need to exit by the back door to escape the badger the coyote will be waiting [Music] now it's the Badger's turn [Music] the coyote will try his hand at digging too foreign [Music] has made the catch there will be no sharing of the squirrel however [Music] then it's back to the den the coyote will take the food to The Den now for the pups but she will not carry it to them by mouth it will be carried in her stomach the pups are born when the ground squirrels are abundant and are easily caught with a Little Help from the badger the pups eagerness kissing and licking their mom is a stimulus for the female to regurgitate the day's catch that she is carrying the pups are well fed when the rodent population is good when their numbers are high and the pups are beginning to learn about aggressiveness in their competition for food the parent May tenderize the catch a bit the pup says I'll take that [Music] foreign the coyotes become aggressive when a wolf comes too close to the den they continue to harass the larger animal [Music] a single wolf can sometimes be moved away from the den but not always sometimes the larger wolf may just ignore the coyotes foreign barking warns pack members to Rally around the den and to intimidate the black wolf [Music] in spite of the Coyote's efforts the wolf finds a den at the base of the riverbank but he is unable to get to the pups through the small opening [Music] foreign the harassment seems to drive the wolf to leave this time once the wolf leaves the female will move the pups to a new Den the wolf has left but it could return she sets to work immediately [Music] coyotes often move their Dans four or five times it is a real job for her but the pups instinctively permit her to carry them in this way sometimes for half a mile or more [Music] this new Den is in a crevice at the base of the cliff no wolf can dig out this Den she has a large litter nine pups in this case there are only eight feeding places however one pup will have to wait large litters of Pops help compensate for Wolf predation another adaptation the coyote has undergone in Yellowstone for this female she has to supply herself with plenty of food in order to nurse this many pups so very quickly she will return to the hunt foreign [Music] the small pack barks at a mountain lion [Music] mountain lions too were almost completely eliminated from the park in the 1920s by the National Park Service it was an effort by the government to extirpate all predators from the American West the only Predator to increase its numbers the adaptable coyote today we turn a more benign eye toward predators and the mountain lion is making a more frequent appearance in Yellowstone Park [Music] ever in search of food a coyote has located a bison carcass a bonanza for him accepted as being guarded by a black bear another challenge to the coyote in a world of the larger predators so he cautiously skirts around the black bear to steal a scrap that the bear had pulled aside and ignored [Music] sometimes it's better to take what's left and just ignore a larger predator [Music] for several weeks in early summer coyotes can be effective Hunters of newborn grazers like the new bison calves with a bison herd nearby this seems more like a morning wake-up call than a source of food still the calf looks very vulnerable to the coyote the calf's mother rests nearby seemingly uninterested and there is no shortage of sleeping calves he'll check another sleeping calf too sleeping soundly [Music] we begin to wonder who is predator and who is prey a bison's kick can be deadly for a coyote even a calf could deliver a blow to the jaw that would disable the coyote with a bison mother's backup the coyote is persuaded to hunt somewhere else Yellowstone's large prey species are varied innumerous without doubt the bison are the most difficult to kill even a wolf pack will not tackle a healthy adult bison and it is virtually impossible for the coyotes to do so [Music] bison remained numerous on the Northern range and like the American prairies of the past it is shared by pronghorn antelope in early June the Pronghorn are giving birth to their fawns gangly and awkward at this stage the pronghorn's milk is ultra rich and in three weeks the leggy creature will become the picture of Grace fast enough to challenge the fastest coyote but for now the doe will defend her Fawn even though she is most apprehensive about the coyote herself the coyote seems to reconsider the risk to himself for a few moments he's not afraid but seems to recognize the possibility of injury from those sharp hooves and the does make sure he'll look for food elsewhere the Pronghorn is the fastest land animal in North America they can run at speeds of 60 miles per hour the coyote is the second fastest animal in North America but he can't approach that speed nevertheless he will give it a try [Music] ah [Music] a [Music] but finally they give up smaller prey seems the wiser Choice today and accessible summer rains bring water to the northern range of Yellowstone [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] although the best habitat for coyotes is in the northern portions of Yellowstone where grass and Sagebrush valleys exist the adaptable coyote can be found throughout the park the generalist Predator has adapted to many environments from Desert to Arctic Coast in each environment there are rodents to be caught this female coyote has her family on the edge of Yellowstone Lake and she too has carried her catch to her pups in her stomach now in July her pups are much more mobile thank you the opportunist Raven is drawn to the possibility of stealing her catch The Duel between the two a bird the raven and a mammal the coyote is an ongoing confrontation a permanent contest to see who can get the best of the other back up there are taunting insults from The Raven wow eventually she decides to give it a rest a coyote can rarely best a raven [Music] the pups move out from their den exploring the shore of the lake which presents different challenges their curiosity is Blended with caution but exploration is now their school accompanied by the persistent and ever-present [Music] at times the lake flies are so abundant they become a food source for the pups in spite of the abundance of the Flies the coyotes accept them matter-of-factly undisturbed by the sheer numbers [Music] [Music] mergansers live on and near the water but they do Nest on Shore in the Cliffs at the Lake's Edge the exploring pup dives into the water frightening the mergancer [Music] female has discovered the nest and the wet pup follows his mother up the cliff The Nest is in a hidden location that must have seemed secure to the merganser but the resourceful Kyle's mother has managed to locate it and removes the eggs the ability to utilize many different food sources is a part of the genetic makeup of the coyote Clan the Survivor [Music] along the shore of the lake there is another food possibility otters bring their catch ashore in order to eat coyotes are happy to steal from them without compunction the coyote is dependent on available food so he is happy to rob an otter of its hard one dinner [Music] Stone announce Autumn better than the bugle of riding bull elk it can be heard in virtually every corner of the Yellowstone Panorama now it is the sound of strength and vigor it captures the sense of wildness [Applause] [Music] the bugling also signals the time that the coyote pups are no longer using a den they are now large enough to travel with the adults and now almost fully functioning members of their pack three pups have survived into autumn in this pack [Music] join in the howl with their higher yips packs are smaller now because of the Wolves but howling still announces ownership of their territory to other packs the howling reinforces the mutual support within the group strengthening the bonds of the pack coyotes in Yellowstone have shown they can survive alongside the wolf they defend their dens feed their pups and they can function as a large pack or a mated pair this flexibility is one reason the coyote has survived in Yellowstone although coyotes live in packs they spend much of their time hunting alone coyote no investigates a pond as the ice is expanding and cracking and laid out on Frieza foreign spawning brook trout can tempt a young coyote [Applause] he doesn't yet have the skill to capture a live fish the cracking ice startles him in the 25 years since wolves returned to Yellowstone the coyote has proved it can adapt to a larger dog on the landscape it may be a stressful life for the coyote but sometimes the sheer Joy of existence emanates from the bodily language of their play a game that incorporates their hunting strategies stalking chasing and tail pulling [Music] but now in Yellowstone the coyote must always keep a watchful eye for the top dog the wolf the threat is always there and it is a life and death threat for the coyote sometimes the Escape is a near Miss the coyote has changed he looks back as if to say I will go on I Will Survive [Music] [Music] foreign [Music]

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

Views: 102,355

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, Free Documentary Nature, Nature, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife, Animals, Animals Documentary, Wildlife Documetnary 2023, Coyote, Coyote Documentary, Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park, National Park Documentary, Coyotes vs Wolves, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, BBC Documentary

Id: 91--eD6pa5Y

Length: 52min 19sec (3139 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 29 2023