When coyotes howl back

Many of the groups that come to Mono Lake are involved in water conservation programs sponsored by the Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles. Many also bring young people who have little opportunity to camp, hike, and explore beautiful places beyond city limits.

One of the season’s highlights was the traditional night hike. On the evening of their arrival, each group travels out to the Jeffrey pine forest south of Mono Lake to walk through the woods without flashlights. This "night prowl" involves getting acquainted with the night environment and discovering that the most dangerous animals in the forest are in fact humans. With each group, every year, the evening’s activities culminate with a coyote howl to see if we can get the coyotes to respond. The kids love to howl and release nervous energy even though we all believe there is a slim chance that any coyotes will respond to our pathetic attempts at a pack of half-howling, half-yelling humans. Yet, miraculously they did respond—almost every time. Betsy Forsyth and Santiago Escruceria, OE Coordinators and leaders extrordinaire, both found new skills in coyote communication. If their vocal cords can hold out, maybe next year they can get the owls to hoot back as well.