From: Martin Fischer
Wednesday morning around 8 a.m. I saw another indication that the natural world is returning to Forest Park. I was jogging on the inner ring (3-mile) section of the bicycle path.
When I got to the part of the path that goes through the golf course between two of the holes, as I glanced ahead, I saw what, at first impression, appeared to be a large greyhound running very, very fast across the path.
As I continued northward my vision was temporarily blocked by some bushes, but as I got closer to where the canine had run across the path, I saw that about 10 yards from the path there was a coyote standing there that had just captured breakfast---a now deceased squirrel with a very long tail was hanging from the coyote's mouth. The coyote glanced around, then plunged into a thicket of tall native plants in the "rough" on the golf course.
Nearby I encountered one of the Forest Park maintenance workers, who said there have been coyotes in the park for a couple of years, and he had seen another one in the Kennedy forest area.
(Later during my jog, I also saw a large snowy white egret wading in one of the waterways a little farther north of the golf course. It was a beautiful, stately bird.)
I think the presence of coyotes is a positive sign for the future of the natural condition of Forest Park. A lack of predators in a natural area can create overpopulation in the prey species (squirrels, rabbits, rats, etc.), which can lead to over-foraging of plants by the prey animals.
The coyotes can help restore a more natural balance in Forest Park. And they don't pose any danger to humans.
So, if you happen be taking a walk, riding a bike or running on the path that goes through the golf course, and it is a quiet morning, keep your eyes peeled. If you see a canine shape flashing across your path, it could be one of the coyotes that lives in Forest Park.
Martin Fischer
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