Originally Posted by keith
I've read there is a correlation between coyote populations, and ticks and Lyme disease. There is no question they carry fleas, ticks, and other parasites. Another good reason to shoot every coyote you see.

All mammals have ticks and fleas and all animals have parasites. The connection is via deer mice, which are an essential host of the tick which carries Lyme, and which are a major prey for foxes and other small carnivores. Coyotes kill foxes, reducing their population and leading to more deer mice. Wolves kill coyotes, leading to more foxes and fewer deer mice, hence less Lyme. So the obvious answer is to reintroduce wolves wherever there is Lyme, right?