Predators not motivated by meanness
To the editor:
No one likes to see a coyote, bobcat, great horned owl or other local predator kill a ground bird, sea turtle hatchling or house cat that has been left out of doors — but it happens and its part of the natural process. It’s true coyotes have not been present on Sanibel for as long as other predators, but they are now ubiquitous in Florida and arrived naturally — unlike the burgeoning population of Burmese pythons that have killed off most mammals in the Everglades after being released by exotic pet enthusiasts.
In a letter to the editor published in the June 10, 2026, issue of the Island Reporter, Bob Morton suggests that once the injured coyote pup being treated by the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) is fully recovered from its injuries, rather than releasing it into the wild, we should vilify it and put it in a cage for life as an example of what we do to “smart, cunning, tricky” predators who kill our preferred species.
A few years ago, before Hurricane Ian, when marsh rabbits were rampant on Sanibel and devouring ornamental landscape plants, people were asking “where are the coyotes when we need them?” The same is true of rats and more recently green iguanas, two other “nuisance” species. Predators keep nature in balance. While it’s true they sometimes prey on iconic species like sea turtles or their eggs, perhaps those species can be better protected.
All predators are hard wired by nature to do what they do. They are not motivated by meanness, just a need for food. Let’s not play God and decide which local species are entitled to exist and which are not based on our personal preferences.
Larry Schopp
Sanibel