Coyotes and Wolves Hanging on a Fence. Butchery or Tradition?

The disturbing photo of three animals – sometimes described as wolves, other times described as coyotes – killed and hanging from a fence. An angry caption reads:

Spanish B*****ds – call themselves civilised? Chuck ’em out the EU. Share this as much as possible – shame them into finding those who murdered these animals and punish them to the full extent of the law. I personally will never go to Spain again. Who would want to spend a holiday in a country that thinks blood sport is entertainment for the masses?

Is that what such photos really depict? Is this really a sinister trend, or could there be another explanation?

As graphic and unsettling as the image is (see below), there are actually less sinister reasons that such a scene may exist. In fact, as thestatesman.com has reported, “…it is an old practice that farmers and ranchers used to warn others that predators are in the area.” Further, forums such as this discussion from 2006 on thefiringline.com bolster this view that the most likely reason you’ll see dead coyotes hanging from a fence is as a warning to others that coyotes are in the area. This could be a useful alert to dog and cat owners nearby to keep their pets inside.

Some have suggested that this is done to scare off other coyotes, however that tradition has been proven to be nothing more than an unproven superstition. It has also been surmised to have been an old tradition leftover by trappers who wanted to prove they were doing their jobs.

It’s still not a pretty sight to see, but it’s doubtful that the story circulating in social media circles is accurate. In fact, we were unable to find a story about butchered coyotes in Spain. If any of our keen readers can find such a story, please post a comment.

One has to wonder though… if it’s merely done as a warning, how about posting a sign instead?

This is the specific image that drew our attention to this story. There are other similar photos easily found on the net. In most cases, the story is the same… that of a warning to others, or in rare cases a superstitious person hoping to ward off other animals.