Coyote and Black Hills Spruce

by Don Balke

Title

Coyote and Black Hills Spruce

Artist

Don Balke

Medium

Painting - Watercolor On Watercolor Paper

Description

Considered the wild outlaws of the west, coyotes have been poisoned, trapped and hunted for years. But, even in the face of man's disapproval, they are thriving in the western states and spreading their range from Maine to Florida. Coyotes live by tooth and claw. As carnivores, they will eat everything from tiny rodents to piles of garbage. Because they eat rats, mice, gophers and prairie dogs that destroy crops they are vital links in nature's delicate balance. Unfortunately, they occasionally kill sheep and cattle, and have been branded as public enemy number one in western ranch country. One way the coyotes avoid extinction is through a prolific birth rate. Coyote litters average up to seven pups, sometimes reaching as many as nineteen pups in a single litter. With such large families, both parents raise their young until the pups have become experienced enough to find food for themselves. At maturity, coyotes weigh only twenty to thirty pounds and stand about twenty-one inches tall at the shoulders. With their bushy tails, erect ears and long coats, they resemble their relatives, the dogs, but makeup for their small stature by being extremely intelligent. This artwork depicts two coyotes, sometimes called brush or prairie wolves, searching the South Dakota landscape for prey. High above the state tree, the Black Hills Spruce, they are preparing for nightfall. When the sun sets, they will tilt their heads back and with a pitched wail that carries for miles, begin their evening serenades.

Please note the "Fine Art America" watermark will not appear on the painting or any print reproduction.

Artwork Copyright © 1979 Wind River Studios Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the Copyright. WRSH Stock Number XB05273

Uploaded

March 22nd, 2022

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