A Combination that Works…Together
We brought Miss Clover the Badger and Streak the Coyote out into a field. They had never officially met before. After some experimental sniffing and digging, Miss Clover found a likely spot for a meal and started to dig for real, dirt flying up behind her like a little brown geyser. Streak stopped, watched what she was doing, and parked himself at what turned out to be a second entrance. A vole came shooting up seeking safety from the onslaught behind it. Streak pounced, caught it, held it in his mouth, walked around to Miss Clover and trotted up to her as she continued furiously digging, oblivious to the vole on the other end. Streak tossed it invitingly up in the air. She ignored it – she probably didn’t even notice she was so into her digging. He did it again. She didn’t see. Still holding it delicately between his jaws, he tried bumping her in the side with his nose to get her attention. It didn’t work. He bumped her side with his nose again, harder this time.
Finally pulled from her focus, Miss Clover noticed, stopped digging, and making for Streak bumped him back, decisively, in his side. Still intent on a friendly encounter, he bowed, hind end up in the air tail wagging, front legs flat on the ground, inviting her to play.
It would be nice to be able to report that she responded to the clear invitation to play, but that is not the case. Despite all his best seductive efforts, she single-mindedly returned to her digging. But she did not attack him. She wasn’t even irritated – she was simply otherwise occupied and telling him to leave her alone.
Seen through the lens of biology, the likely explanation is that there is an advantage to coyotes to hunt with badgers. That makes sense. But it doesn’t mean that is the only thing going on. What was the “advantage” for Streak in inviting Miss Clover to play? Why was there no aggression on her part? Perhaps when relieved of the stress of needing to find food, safety, territory in which to hunt, an entirely different side of wild animals has the freedom to express itself. Perhaps when given the opportunity, without stress, they enjoy the company of species other than their own. I would like to hear your thoughts.
4 Comments
Earthfire’s Mission in Action by Pat Hager
Coyotee are simular to dogs and wolves in the sense of needing to be a part of a pack,a family. It sounds like as far as Streak was concerned the Badger is part of his pack and an alpha member at that. Animals taken out of the wild, while they may still be wild they lose their need to hunt as their priority for life, they just seem to know that hunger will not be a part of life anymore and with all dogs,wolves and coyotes play is an essential part of pack life,thats how they bond, and teach thier young and a happy tummy always makes for a happy puppy. As for Badgers, well they are known to be much more solitare and not much play in their lives at any point but they are not too threatened by a lone coyote so the badger had no need to fight yet was determined to follow the scent she was locked into too,so much so that she didnt even notice the gift being offered.
Comment by Tisha — August 26, 2010 @ 2:05 am
I know people who feed the Coyottes. They have a dog that actually does play with them.
Any comments about that?
Tristin
Comment by tristin west — September 6, 2010 @ 7:14 pm
I’m totally intrigued by inter-species relationships. They’re actually pretty common.
I think Tisha’s comment makes a lot of sense. I also think you’re correct in saying, “Perhaps when relieved of the stress of needing to find food, safety, territory in which to hunt, an entirely different side of wild animals has the freedom to express itself. Perhaps when given the opportunity, without stress, they enjoy the company of species other than their own.”
Also, when balance is fostered & Love is the foundation, amazing things happen. WeR1 & we are energy, at the core of our being. The fact that healing & cooperation is fostered at Earthfire keeps the collective energy attuned to a certain frequency.
Comment by Kelley — September 28, 2010 @ 9:00 am
Examining Streak’s play bow and play courtship displays from a behavioral standpoint, I would suggest that there may be advantage. While play is a strongly debated behavior, it is a social behavior, and I personally do believe that animals play simply because it’s enjoyable to them. However, play serves many purposes, including social bonding. If Streak recognized an advantage in hunting or engaging symbiotically with Miss Clover, he may have offered or invited play with the intention of strengthening their social bond, hence furthering their mutually beneficial relationship.
One would assume that a coyote’s role in the social contract with a badger would be to offer eyes, ears, early warning and possibly even protection against other predators. One could even hypothesize that Miss Clover was telling Streak to quit screwing around, pay attention and get back to work.
Even if the behaviors were driven by these biological factors, it does not mean the behavior on Streak’s part was not enjoyable and sincere, nor would one assume Miss Clover’s behavior was one of indifference.
I’ll be interested to see futher updates on these interactions posted. One wonders if Miss Clover will eventually realize that in order to secure her relationship with Streak that she should relax, trust and enjoy play if she wishes to keep him engaged. I’d also be interested to see if Streak learns that play behaviors are not tolerated during intense food seeking activities and he’s to stand guard.
Again, though these animals may be ‘training’ one another to determine their roles, it does not mean that they are not enjoyable interactions to the animals, nor mindless biologically driven imperatives.
I would predict that in future interactions, it will be Streak that adopts other beheviors in deference to Miss Clover’s instruction, and that it will be she that shapes their relationship for the most part. I wonder how many times, if any, Streak will offer play until he abandons the strategy and what behaviors he offers instead in order to try to secure his symbiotic relationship with Miss Clover, or, win Miss Clover’s affections, if you will. What behaviors will Miss Clover herself offer or withold in order to reinforce or punish Streak to better understand her needs and their roles? If Streak performs his “role” to her satisfaction, will she lick his nose in her attempt to offer affection/reward? Will Streak understand? Or will it be she who accomodates Streak? To what extent will they meet in the middle?
Please continue to update posts on these interactions, and I know we’d all enjoy video of these encounters.
Lisa Wolf
Canid, llc/Eden Creek Wolves
Comment by Lisa Wolf — October 5, 2010 @ 11:00 pm