If we were the Aztecs, we would call this animal a "divine dog." The Latin name was transformed as a barking dog. And contemporaries call it differently - “meadow wolf”, “red dog”, “red wolf” or “coyote”. What kind of animal is this for which people have not regretted so many names?
External description
Coyote is a mammal that belongs to predators. These animals belong to the canine family. Outwardly, red wolves are similar to ordinary wolves, but smaller. You could even say that the largest coyote is smaller than the most plain and small adult of ordinary wolves. The maximum body length of an adult coyote does not exceed 100 cm, the tail does not grow longer than 30 cm, the animal is about 50 cm at the withers. Well, the mass ranges from 7 kg (minimum weight) to 21 kg (maximum). An adult ordinary wolf, with whom we compared the meadow sibling, has a minimum weight of 32 kg, and large individuals can reach 60 kg.
The meadow wolf has erect ears, and its tail can be called fluffy. The fur is rather thick and long, brown in color, with black and gray spots. The color of the fur on the belly is much lighter. The shape of the muzzle is elongated-pointed, more reminiscent of a fox than a wolf. The tip of the tail is covered with black hairs.
Where coyotes live
Coyotes are typical inhabitants of the American plains. They are distributed throughout North America and are found in 49 states of the USA, Canada and Mexico. The North American meadow wolf bred a lot during the Gold Rush. Together with the miners, this animal was actively exploring new territories, not disdaining any prey.
Red wolves are inhabitants of open territories. They inhabit prairies and deserts; they are extremely rare in forests. Coyotes live not only in deserted places, but also on the outskirts of large megacities.
What eats
In food, the American meadow wolf is picky. This animal is considered omnivorous, but the main diet is the meat of hares, rabbits, dogs, ground squirrels and groundhogs. Any smaller animal, including birds, insects and various aquatic animals, can become the main dish of a hungry animal. And since coyotes often live near cities and towns, they can also hunt domestic animals, although they do so infrequently.
Coyotes are rarely attacked by humans. But the landfills that accompany human settlements are very attractive to them.
How the coyote hunts
Meadow Wolf prefers single or twin hunting. But for hunting big game can be combined in flocks. In this case, the roles are distributed, like in wolves. There are several beaters that take the flock to the flock or exhaust it with a long pursuit.
Sometimes coyotes arrange hunting together with badgers. This is a very successful association, because the badger breaks the holes in which potential prey lives or hides, and the coyote easily catches up with it and kills it. Coyotes are very agile, fast and jump well. They have good instinct and excellent eyesight.
Adult animals have their own hunting grounds. The center of this territory is the lair of the predator. The boundaries of the site are regularly labeled with urine.
Coyotes often howl loudly. In this way, animals communicate with each other, convene a flock for hunting, inform their fellow tribesmen that they are in a foreign territory, and call on the female. At night on the American prairies, howling sounds almost constantly, scaring away uninvited guests. Experts are trying to decipher and systematize the sound messages in order to better understand the animals that are being watched.
Way of life
Mostly these predators live in pairs. But there are single people and family groups. America’s meadow wolf forms flocks in places with high numbers of animals and abundant food supplies. A flock is 5-6 individuals, two of which are parents, and the rest are their young.
Another reason for grouping is the lack of small game. In this case, the purpose of the flock is to hunt for large animals, which alone the coyote can not cope with.
Meadow wolf couples are permanent. They live side by side for many years, without being distracted by other partners. Most often, the couple sticks together all their lives.
Mating takes place in winter, from January to February. Coyote females are very prolific. A brood can have from 5 to 19 puppies. Pregnancy is about 3 months. Birth takes place in the main family lair, but each couple has several emergency shelters. These holes or crevices are used in case of danger. The male takes care of the female and the cubs, he gets food and protects the home. Meadow Wolf is a caring parent. He is engaged in raising puppies along with his mother. Growing males go into independent life, and females can stay with their parents.
In the wild, coyotes can live for more than ten years, and in captivity their life span is even longer. Some couples in zoos survived for 15-16 years.
