The Wildlife department's new baby coyote arrived late yesterday afternoon!
She was injured and orphaned as a young pup during a controlled burn in Michigan. The fire killed the rest of the little coyote's family and left her with some minor burns and scars. She was hand-raised by a rehabber in Michigan.
She is about 3 or 4 months old and since she has spent nearly her entire life in captivity around people, she cannot be released back into the wild. Her new home is the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. She lives in a roomy exhibit in the Perkins Wildlife Center and will be trained by wildlife staff members for use in programs.
The wildlife staff has spent the past day getting to know her and socializing her. We will be harness training her so that she can go on long walks around the wildlife center and also go to classes. She will serve as an animal ambassador for her species and educate the public about coyotes.
So far she is adapting well to her new surroundings and has been playful and engaged with the wildlife specialists caring for her.
Her name is "Charcoal," which I suggested due to her gray color and the circumstances which brought her into captivity.
We call her "Char" for short.
Michelle Leighty
Perkins Wildlife Center Co-Manager
