Song Dog

by Raymond Gibby

Medium: Bronze
Edition Size: 15

Life-size

Many Native American tribes thought highly of the coyote. Unlike many people today, they appreciated the coyote and it's cunning will for survival. They affectionately called him "Song Dog" for his nightly serenade.
The coyote is one of the few predators that has actually endured and even flourished with human encroachment into its habitat, even with constant persecution. They changed their hunting tactics from hunting in packs to hunting alone or in pairs. Their diet changed to smaller prey.
Many think that the coyote is a nuisance and even costly to ranchers. The fact is that one coyote can typically consume over 100,000 rodents in one year, thus becoming a very valuable asset to the farming and ranching industry. Rodents eat feed. Ranchers need feed. Coyotes control rodent populations.
As one who also raises cattle, I believe it would be prudent to develop within us the will to survive intelligently, like the coyote has done. They adapted to our changing environment to live in harmony with humans. We should understand that if the natural world doesn't survive then we risk our own survival. Hopefully through understanding that nature can actually benefit our own efforts to find success in industry, we will be lead to a greater appreciation for animals like the "Song Dog."