Trailwood Films and Videos: Song Dog

INTENDED FOR: Elementary - Junior High - Senior High - College - Adult • SUBJECT AREA: Science - Biology - Wildlife - Environment - Ecology • PURPOSE: To present a documentary on the life cycle of the coyote in Yellowstone National Park

REVIEW: Photographed over a ten-year period in Yellowstone’s Lamar River Valley, this film presents sequences showing coyote behavior in an environment where large mammals are abundant and human influence is minimal. Calling the howling coyote Song Dog, an Indian woman describes Coyote and otter fight

coyotes as sly ‘creators’ which control everything, ‘tricksters’ which make other animals give up their food. Ranging from the arctic to the tropics, the coyote usually lives in packs with it’s permanent mate and young, defending it’s territory and eating small rodents ad larger weakened animals such as elk or moose. Coyote pups are observed learning about their world under constant supervision of their parents. Rare scenes show members of a coyote pack cooperating with each other to steal a bear cub away from it’s mother, a coyote getting a large fish away from an otter, coyotes chasing elk, pronghorn and bighorn sheep, trying to isolate old or weakened animals.

Marking off boundaries of their territory in which they can find food, coyotes seldom cross boundaries and hunt within their territory for grasshoppers, ground squirrels, mice and other animals using their acute senses of smell, vision and hearing to develop into finely-tuned hunters. Coyotes

Said to possess one of the most complex communication systems of any animal in North America, coyotes express aggression and submission, perhaps even joy and sorrow, and develop a hierarchy based on dominance. In December, with the coming of heavy snows, the elk herd migrates to Lamar Valley, providing food for coyotes as the old and weak members die. Calling the coyote tough, flexible and intelligent animals with high endurance, the Indian says it will continue to walk the earth after all other animals have vanished. This film combines excellent visuals, a well-written biologically-accurate script, appropriate music and sound effects to tell a fascinating study of an often misunderstood animal. Recommended. —Landers Film Reviews

Although the sleek, cunning, adaptable coyote is the principal predator featured in this magnificently-filmed production, glimpses of other wildlife indigenous to the lush Yellowstone Park valley setting add further dimension to this intriguing study. Backed with appropriate musical accompaniment and serious narration that includes insightful quotes from native Americans, the adept camera captures the many-faceted coyote as a frolicking pup, a voracious scavenger feasting on decayed carcass, and a crafty survivalist who catches fish and pounces on unsuspecting rodents. Amidst nature’s brilliant scenery, the coyotes’ habitat, characteristics, and specialized skills are convincingly relayed for junior high and high school students and public library viewers. Ages 14 - adult. —American Library Association

Now, three of our films on the wildlife of Yellowstone, which have collected 22 awards and prizes between them, have been included in one DVD, the Wildlife of Yellowstone. The original titles included are Song Dog about coyotes in the park, Elk of the Northern Herd, and Trumpeter Blues, a life history of the trumpeter swan in Yellowstone, together for a low combo price!

Write a review of this item!

Share your thoughts with others. Tell everyone what you think about this video.

How do you rate this item?:

I loved it
I liked it
It was okay
I didn't like it
I hated it

Your name/screenname/handle/moniker:

Your general location: (city, state/province, country, planet, universe...)

Your e-mail address: (optional - required only if you need a response - won't be published)

The title of your review:

Your review:

Guidelines: Please write only about the product featured on this page. Do not include personal contact information, links or html formatting in the Review field. Your email address (if provided) will not be published. All submitted comments become the property of Trailwood Films and will be screened and/or edited before posting. Material deemed inappropriate will not be posted.

Thank you.