For top predators like mountain lions and bears, the head of their prey is far less valuable than its body. It takes much more work to access its nutrients and the rewards are far less satisfying. For a scavenging coyote, a free meal is a free meal

Unshakable Optimism

For top predators like mountain lions and bears, the head of their prey is far less valuable than its body. It takes much more work to access its nutrients and the rewards are far less satisfying. For a scavenging coyote, a free meal is a free meal.

Coyotes thrive on opportunity, and what a larger predator leaves behind can still provide critical nourishment. While the head lacks the calorie-rich muscles and organs of the body, it’s not without value. The brain, though small, is packed with fats, and the eyes and cheek muscles offer additional protein. For a scavenger, these smaller bits can be the difference between survival and starvation.

What makes the head especially appealing to a coyote is its portability. Unlike a heavier carcass, a coyote can easily carry the head to a safer location, avoiding competition with larger animals. While apex predators focus on maximizing their caloric intake, coyotes succeed by making the most of what others leave behind.

In a harsh ecosystem where every scrap counts, even the less desirable remains of a kill become an essential resource for opportunistic scavengers like coyotes

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A beautiful mountain lion stands by as her kitten feeds on the fresh carcass of a mountain goat. Investigating the scene,  was able to locate where the initial attack took place, drag marks over rocky terrain ending at the final feeding place you see here. It was apparent that this family; an adult female and her two kittens, had already been feeding for 2-3 days.

Biologists have known that mountain lion predation on mountain goats exists when habitats overlap, but photographic evidence of this behavior is extremely rare.

l am so honored this lion family graced my camera with their presence

A large wolf eel, caught by a fishing boat and thrown back into the sea as by-catch.

Wolf eels are not eels, but they resemble them enough to be confused for eels, so the name stuck. Weighing in at around 18kg (39lbs) and at a max length of 2.5m (8.2ft) they are large fish with a face only a mother could love.

They pose no threat to humans, however the same cannot be said for their preferred prey: sea urchins, mussels, sand dollars, crabs, classic, sea snails, and squid.

Their jaws are very powerful and specially adapted to crush hard objects, like the shells of the various prey items listed above. They are able to squeeze their body into small areas in order to protect themselves from predators, as seals, sharks, and most other would be attackers cannot do the same

What are we thinking here?

Is this a case of incredibly bad luck or did someone lock this rack in the branches of that tree?

I’m partial to the former, considering the visible wear on the bark - but lord knows I’ve been wrong before.

It's just a slight bit ironic that the antlers of this beast, which are meant to serve a few purposes, like signaling to females the vitality and strength of the male, plus defending themselves from other bulls or potential predators, can also be the undoing of the animal when he simply raises his head in the wrong place.

There is also no telling how long it took for this bull to expire after getting stuck (if that’s what happened) or how. Did the coyotes find him or did he die of exhaustion/starvation/exposure.

Either way, it's a terrible way to go