This week in history - from The Marsyville Globe archives

10 Years Ago 1997

One of the hardest things for a human being to do is to keep his fingers out of someone elses business. Tampering with Mother Natures affairs still seems to be a common practice, an activity that often upsets the delicate balance of life on earth. When Noah Davidson was presented with a baby coyote a few weeks ago, he decided it was time to set the record straight regarding the ferocious killer. There are people who still think it is coyotes who gang up and chase and kill cows, said Davidson., chief animal control officer at the Marysville-Arlington Shelter. Thats defiantly not the case, he said. Thats the work of dogs. Coyotes dont travel in packs. Theyre nocturnal and they run alone. Its feral dogs the people are talking about. Davidson was afraid the coyote, turned over to the shelter after it was found roaming in the area of the B&M Shopping Center, would become too tame in captivity to be able to return to the wilds. If the coyote became too tame to fend for itself in the woods, then we would have had to find her a place in the Seattle Zoo, Davidson said. Either that or spay her and use her in teaching youngsters about wild animals. What I am saying is that if you come across any wild animals, leave them be. If a little bird has fallen out of the nest, just leave it alone. Thats all part of nature. Davidson, although he knows the wonderfully warm feeling of cuddling baby animals, painstakingly avoided too much contact with the young coyote hoping it would not become domesticated. Persistence paid off. As soon as the little creature had overcome the shock of captivity and began eating on a regular basis, it was released back to the land. There apparently is a coyote den out on 64th, said Davidson, explaining how the young pup was discovered wandering near the shopping center in the city. A lot of people wouldnt know you shouldnt pick them up and try to turn them into pets. The person who picked her up and put her into a dumpster and then called us had though he was doing the right thing. The coyote is unique; as we continued to build into the wilds, we pushed the animals further into the woods. But, the coyote was able to adapt to us, and hes living right among us today. Theyre not bad animals. They get blamed for a lot of things other animals do. Davidson pointed out that should anyone have any questions about both tame and wild animals, they may call the Animal Shelter. Animal scientists, according to a paper Davidson prepared recently, rank the coyote with the more intelligent mammals such as the dolphin. They note that the coyote has increased its range and changed its habits as the population of the U. S. has increased, while other wild animals have been unable to adapt to the change. The paper, referring to scientific studies, claims there never has been a reported case of a healthy coyote attacking a human being of its own volition. In Los Angeles, where there is a large coyote population in the Santa Monica Mountains and elsewhere, there were 52,000 cases of dog-bite reported in 1974, but not a single case of coyote-bite. As humans have occupied an even greater part of the terrain, continues the paper, they have inevitably moved into the natural habitat of coyotes, especially in Southern California. The coyote , with its great adaptability and intelligence, has not moved out as many other wild creatures do. Thus, humans and coyotes have come into confrontation with each other, sometimes to the discomfort and alarm of the human. Coyotes are inquisitive creatures and will come to investigate their new neighbors when humans move into their territory. So they may often be seen by night and sometimes by day in semi-rural areas. Some people feed them and the animals become semi-domesticated or in some cases, pets. And, the coyote will interbreed with the domestic dog. The coyote can create remarkable range of sounds, from barking too long, protracted vocalizations various keys. Coyotes vocalize for a variety of reasons in hunting, for warnings, to communicate with other coyotes and for the sheer joy of it. Two pairs of coyotes, separated by half a mile and singing to each other, can give a nervous human being the feeling that a huge pack is nearby. In semi-rural areas, domesticated dogs that are allowed to run free will chase rabbits and other creatures and sometimes will howl and bay sounding much like a coyote. Coyotes live off the land wherever they find themselves. They eat fresh or old meat, insects, fruit, grass, berries and vegetables, so their visits to human habitats naturally entail eating such things as are available. They will take fruit from fallen trees, rummage in garbage cans and raid chicken coops and duck ponds. From time to time, there are reports of coyotes taking domesticated dogs and cats. There is some evidence that coyotes even the domesticated individuals which make friends with other animals have a strong dislike of cats and will attack them. On the other hand, every cat which disappears from its home in a semi-rural area cannot be assumed to be the victim of a coyote. Many domestic dogs are cat killers. And, one of the well-known characteristics of cats is to leave one home and adopt another, for reasons known only to cats.

25 Years Ago 1982

The Marysville Globe has received reports of an imposter claiming to be a Globe employee requesting information. The Globe and Arlington Times are owned by Sun News, Inc., Some employees work at both newspapers. Any reporters or advertising staff can be verified by calling the Globe offices at 659-1300. Reporters who may call include: Sarah Arney, Jennifer Bacoka, Karen Crabtree, Tipton Blish, Matt Glade, Nevonne McDaniels, Brent Snyder, Phil Steinsiek and Lizzy Wiseman. Advertising representatives who may call include Sue Stevenson, Connie McKinsey, Rick Miller, Georgine Shuler or Cyndi Benson.

50 Years Ago 1957

Local private aircraft operators have been invited to join others from elsewhere in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia at the Third Annual Air Show at the Bellingham Airport. Sponsored jointly by the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce and the Junior Chamber, the show will include everything from a homemade helicopter to the U.S. Air Forces newest supersonic F102-A.
Reporting for the water and garbage committee of City Council Monday evening, Wallace T. Rounds expressed that groups recommendation that the city form a new department of Garbage Collection. Reason for this move is that the city plans to engage in the garbage collection business. There will be the necessity of purchasing a special truck to be so used. The committee recommended that bids be called for either a new or used garbage truck. Since the citys 1957 budget has no funds earmarked for truck purchase, it was suggested that funds be borrowed from the water department to make a cash purchase, thus saving interest costs. The city attorney, W. A. Gissberg, who was not present at this meeting, was authorized to draw proper ordinances to meet these recommendations.

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