Mutant Piercing Ice-Blue Eyed Coyote

This week I read an article in National Geographic that talked about this rare coyote that was seen in Northern California that had blue eyes. When they researched it, they found 5 in the area with the rare mutation. They quote it as a “one in a million” phenomenon. Likely, those 5 are all related, but those are the ONLY ones....anywhere.

So what are the chances that I had one right here on my street???!?

The article describes their eyes as piercing icy blue and provides a few photos. The main one is very blue, but the photo of sibling offspring show the eyes to be very very light.

January 29th, I was driving home after work and saw 4 coyotes on my street.

I’ve been wanting to get some pictures of them because this year we seem to have a more vocal bunch in the neighborhood. They yip and howl just outside my yard and get my dogs to join in the choir....everyday, several times per day.

On the 28th, I saw a pitiful looking female cross the street. I do not remember her eyes and didn’t get a photo, but she looked like a Mexican hairless dog. She  only had about 10 hairs on her tail, little clumps of hair on her back and ears. Her chest was bald so I could clearly see she was a female. Otherwise, she looked and moved like a healthy coyote.

So, when I decided to photograph the foursome, it was really to check if they where plagued with hair loss. None of them had the severe alopecia of the female, but this male, who looked at me as he sauntered by, sure was mangy.  Poor thing. 

It was getting dark, so the photos are grainy, but his eyes are striking....and very light. Are they light green? Or light blue? Who knows? They are cool looking....but is he “one in a million” as the article suggests? Here? A thousand miles away.....in Tucson?

You decide, and let me know.

The first photo is our mangy icy-eyed friend.

The second is him with a more traditional brown eyed furry friend.

And the last is a portrait of a classic brown eyed girl....coyote