Coyotes And Firefighters — Working Together On The Ice In Nashua

NASHUA, NH — The Nashua Fire Rescue Dive Team continually train for water and ice rescues to be prepared at a moment's notice to rescue people and animals.

Annually, the team cuts holes in the ice in local bodies of water, and firefighters, wearing protective suits, submerge themselves in frigid waters. A team of Nashua firefighters trained using various tools and techniques practicing rescuing the victim.

On Thursday, members of the team were located at a local pond training when they were joined by three coyotes who came on the ice near where they had been working. The coyotes were curious — and then, ran off into the wooded area and the firefighters completed their training.

NH Fish and Game say that the coyotes in New Hampshire are Eastern coyotes that typically weigh 30-50 pounds and are 48-60 inches long. Though coyotes are often mistaken for a domestic dog hybrid. Unlike a wolf or domestic dog, coyotes run with their tail pointing down.

Coyotes are generalists, eating whatever food is seasonally abundant. Coyotes are known to feed on mice, squirrels, woodchucks, snowshoe hare, fawns, house cats, carrion, amphibians, garbage, insects, and fruit. Coyotes utilize forested habitats, shrubby open fields, marshy areas, and river valleys.

Territories for the coyotes range in size from 5 to 25 square miles and are usually shared by a mated pair and occasionally their offspring. Coyotes are capable of many distinct vocalizations - the yipping of youngsters, barks to indicate a threat, long howls used to bring pack members together, and group yip-howls issued when pack members reunite.

Photos provided by David Morin.