Dear Editor,
If the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wants more deer in the state, instead of telling hunters to trap and kill coyotes who eat just a few deer in order to survive, the agency should tell hunters to stop blasting away tens of thousands of deer for entertainment.
Coyotes mate for life and live in close-knit family groups. National Geographic found that coyotes are among the most faithful of all species. Reporting on the results of a coyote-fidelity study, the organization concluded that “these canine cousins are loyal to their mates and never stray. Not ever. . . . These canids are remaining faithful both in good times and bad.” They’re also devoted parents. Mothers whose legs are crushed in cruel traps have attempted to chew off their own limbs out of determination to get back to their pups. Hunting devastates these animals’ entire families.
The decision to kill coyotes instead of just cutting back on killing deer is further proof that hunting has nothing to do with “conservation” and everything to do with hunters’ love of gunning down animals.
Sincerely,
Michelle Kretzer
The PETA Foundation
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
859-539-2394
