Tuesday Talks: Peter Trull: The Eastern Coy-Wolf

Eastern Coyotes, now often referred to as “Coywolves,” are found throughout Massachusetts and eastern North America. I have been studying the daily habits and life history of Eastern Coyote Canis latrans var. since 1989. Here on Cape Cod with its fragmented habitats, open space, “island ecosystem,” and growing human population, coyotes thrive and are evident to us in our yards and neighborhoods year round. Unfortunately, they are not well understood by most people and their presence may cause alarm and disdain among a large part of the population.  Much of what children, parents and teachers learn, or are told by others is misguided or exaggerated and clearly brings about fear and anxiety. I have experienced these feelings in people at my public lectures for many years. My aim as researcher and educator is to offer an objective view of this wild canid and inform my audiences, young and old, of this predator’s place in our world, and our place in the coyote’s world.

ABOUT PETER TRULL:
Naturalist. Educator. Photographer. Author.

Peter Trull is a renowned Field Naturalist and educator located on Cape Cod, Peter Trull has dedicated over 40 years towards capturing and sharing the raw beauty of the animals and landscape around him.

Peter Trull has been involved in Research and Education on Cape Cod for about 40 years. He coordinated seabird protection and research for the Massachusetts Audubon Society. He conducted field research in Guyana and Surinam, studying the market trapping of Common Terns and Roseate Terns, working and living with local bird trappers in several coastal villages where he hesitatingly admits he’s eaten Common Terns and 15 to 20 species of sandpipers and plovers.

As Education Director at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, he developed programs and began studying Eastern Coyotes in 1989. Through the 90’s, as a researcher and Education Director at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, he developed and taught classes related to whales and marine birds. He has served as naturalist on over 2000 whale watching trips related to education and research.

His most recent book and 7th on Cape Cod natural history, Birds of Paradox – The Life of Terns, was released in 2019. His two current, ongoing research projects involve the Wilson’s Storm-Petrel and Eastern Coyote/Eastern Wolf.