There is more than one strange creature that has been said to inhabit the Epping Forest, bigfoot, alien big cats and giant spiders to name but a few. But the creature on whose door we knock first is certainly a long way from home and goes under a few names, it’s most common being Coyote.
For thousands of years now the only wild canine that has officially lived in the UK has been the noble fox, but during the summer of 1884, an article was published in Land and Water magazine which featured a letter from a Mr. A. D Bartlett superintendent Of the Zoological Gardens London. The letter related to a meeting he had with a gentleman who pronounced that he had in his care a rather curious creature that had been found in Epping Forest. Mr Bartlett writes:
“Some short time since a gentleman called upon me at the gardens and offered to present to the society an animal that he believed to be a prairie wolf. He mentioned some particulars concerning its history that caused me not at once to accept his offer, fearing that the animal might prove to be a useless mongrel. At the same time I asked his address and promised to call and see the animal. Accordingly, I went to Leytonstone, and on my arrival I inquired for Mr.R. Payze, and found the gentleman who had kindly offered the animal in question. He was very pleased to meet me, and introduced me to what I at once pronounced to be a veritable prairie wolf (cannis latrans).
The history of the animal I give as near as possible in Mr. Payze’s words. In the month of May last year some men who were on their way to London with cartloads of hay told him on their coming through some part of Epping Forest, they had found or caught three fox cubs, and they had them in a sack tied to the tail of the cart. Believing them to be fox cubs, he bought one of them for a few shillings, and the men went on their way towards London. The animal was at that time so small that it could be put into a pint pot, and I have every reason to believe the following narrative will fully explain what otherwise would appear a strange mystery. Mr. Payze introduced me to Mr. Swan (who was formally a servant to Colonel Howard), and he told me that some few years ago four cubs were brought to England in a ship belonging to Mr.J.R.Flethcher, of the Union Docks, and were turned down (supposed to be fox cubs) in Ongar Wood, which joins Epping Forest.
These cubs were brought home in a box and kept for a few days at Colonel Howard’s, the Goldens, Loughton. They were then taken to the late Mr. Arkwright’s, master of the Essex Hunt and were turned out at Marl’s Farm, and the man Swan was present when they were turned out. I have also been informed that from time to time an animal, supposed to be a large gray fox has been hunted, but never caught, always escaping into the forest. I think it highly probable that some of the same kind as the animal now in the garden still exist in the forest, as this species of wolf is not much larger than a male fox, and not having any scent like the fox would not likely get killed by foxhounds or followed any great distance by them.”
The article from Land and Water Magazine goes on to say that a journalist of theirs accompanied Mr. Bartlett on a visit to Epping Forest and made inquiries as to the validity of the story, claiming that they were left in little doubt as to its truth after conversing with Mr. Swan and others who are well versed in the ways of the forest.
Sadly for Charlie (the given name of the coyote pup) he ended his days living in a zoo and it is unfortunate that he never saw the forest or freedom again.
What interests me, and I expect many of you reading this, is the possibility that the coyotes may have lived on in the forest, even Beatrix Potter in her journals mentions them, suggesting there is a wild but shy population which is doing well. I do fancy the thought that the descendants of Charlie could still be thriving there, hiding right under the nose of man, intriguing isn’t it. Coyotes are not a great deal bigger than a good-sized male fox so it wouldn't be inconceivable that these sneaky animals could avoid man kind if they wished to do so.
These days I don't often get the chance to do much fieldwork but this is one mystery that is so close to where I live that I feel it would be a shame to see if they are not still lurking somewhere in the surroundings of the magical Epping Forest, I will, of course, keep you up to date about any adventure I may get up to as I look into this rather amazing mystery.
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