This animal is called differently: coyote, meadow wolf, red dog, red wolf. Aztecs named it "divine dog". Such abundance of names belongs to the predator living in the territory of America. The coyote does not differ in the big sizes, but for the rest it is the real wolf.
Coyote: portrait of a meadow wolf
The coyote is carried to family of canids. He looks almost like ordinary wolf, but considerably concedes to it by the sizes. Even the largest "a red dog" is less, than an ordinary-looking wolf:
- length of a body of an animal usually does not exceed meter;
- height in withers – about a half a meter;
- weight fluctuates ranging from 7 up to 21 kg.
The largest of red wolves weighed 33 kg. And here the wolf can quite weigh 50-60 kg. The coyotes living in the southern area differ in smaller sizes.
At a coyote standing ears and fluffy tail. Dense and long fur of an animal has brown coloring. Gray and black impregnations can meet. In the field of a belly fur is lighter. The tail tip is plentifully covered by dark hairs. In comparison with the sizes of a body of a leg of an animal can seem small. The muzzle of a coyote and his paw can have a reddish or brown shade. The desert coyote is lighter, than individuals who live in the mountain area. Coloring of a coyote helps it to disappear on that area where he lives.
The pointed muzzle of a red wolf something reminds fox in a form. On the run the coyote holds the tail lowered down at an angle about 45 degrees that distinguishes it from a wolf.
Inhabitants of prairies
Coyotes are inhabitants of the American plains. They meet practically across all territory of the USA, in Canada and Mexico. Borders of a zone of dwelling of a meadow wolf are limited to Alaska in the north, and in the south – Panama. The sort about which it is includes two dozen subspecies. Three of them live in Central America. In North America the coyote occupies approximately the same niche, as well as jackals in Eurasia.
The meadow wolf very widely extended across America at the time of "gold-rush". Coyotes actively followed getters of gold, developing new territories and not neglecting any production. These predators better than wolves are adapted for existence near people.
The red wolf prefers to live on open spaces: in deserts and prairies. In forests of a coyote it is possible to see very seldom. Recently the meadow wolf is met more often on the outskirts of the large cities. There they are attracted by dumps where it is possible to profit something.
The red wolf is not choosy in food. This omnivore. Its main diet is made:
- groundhogs;
- gophers;
- hares;
- rabbits;
- stray dogs.
But the hungry coyote will not disdain also smaller animals, birds or insects. Mice, snakes, lizards can enter a diet of a red wolf. In the summer and in the fall the coyote eats fruit and vegetables with pleasure.
Cases when coyotes hunted pets are known. The facts of attack of red wolves on the person are noted.
Meadow hunter
Coyote – the excellent hunter. The red wolf comes for hunting alone or couples. But if it is necessary to tire out a large catch, predators often get off in packs. At the same time hunting goes in accuracy as at wolves – with cast. The most active coyotes exhaust production and bring it to pack which exhausts the unfortunate victim long prosecution. A red wolf – very fast and mobile animal. He perfectly jumps. Length of a jump of a coyote can quite reach four meters. The red wolf is capable to run pretty fast, gathering at short distances speed to 60 km/h, and on long – up to 40 km/h.
With hunting the coyote is helped by excellent intuition and acute eyesight. Coyotes lead a twilight life though they are quite capable to hunt and in the afternoon.
Happens that red wolves unite for hunting with badgers. Here too there is a cast. The badger often breaks off holes where there lives production. The coyote needs only to catch up with the victim and to finish off it.
Adult individuals usually have own hunting grounds which center is a den of a coyote. The animal marks borders of the site urine. It is possible to recognize a coyote by characteristic loud I howl. This way red wolves communicate among themselves, call up a female, report that they are in others territory, convoke relatives for joint hunting. At night constantly discloses the American plains howl these animals – so they frighten off strangers. Scientists far progressed in interpretation of sound messages of coyotes. In communication the meadow wolf often uses not only howl, but also bark, a skuleniye and growl. Each sound corresponds to a certain emotion, it can express submission, humility or anger.
Coyotes have also enemies. As a rule, it is pumas and wolves. The red wolf clashes with foxes as this two views compete for food. The meadow wolf is practically not afraid of people, the person does not hunt a coyote. For this reason there were probably recorded cases when these animals attacked cyclists and runners.
Way of life of red wolves
Coyotes, as a rule, live in couples though they can meet both singles, and rather big family groups. In packs this animal gets off where there is a lot of coyotes and there is an abundance of food. Ordinary structure of pack – to six individuals of both sexes. Two of them – parental couple, and the others – the growing-up young growth. In hunting purpose of pack – hunting for a large catch with which to a loner coyote not to cope.
Married couples at coyotes differ in constancy. These animals can live together for many years, without showing interest in other partners.
Pairing at coyotes falls on the winter period – from January to February. Females of a red wolf differ in enviable fertility: in a brood there can be about two dozen puppies. However in a big dung the considerable mortality percentage is almost always noted: about one year no more than a third of puppies lives.
Pregnancy lasts about three months. Emergence of a brood on light usually happens in the main den of family. But each married couple has in a stock and several spare shelters. It can be crevices in rocks or holes. A usual den of a red wolf – a hole. Their animals, as a rule, dig. But this predator willingly lodges also in others dwellings. The territory which considers and is controlled by an adult animal can have diameter to two dozen kilometers.
Tasks of a male:
- production of food;
- protection of the dwelling;
- care of a female;
- education of posterity.
Coyote – the attentive and careful parent. The male is engaged in education of younger generation on an equal basis with a female. Growing up, males begin to live independently, and young females quite often remain with parents. Coyotes are considered as peaceful and appeasable animals, they never show aggressions in relation to members of the family.
Under natural conditions the red wolf can live up to ten years and more. Coyotes live in bondage even longer. The case when the married couple of coyotes lived in a zoo of 16 years is known.
Coyote: myths and legends
The coyote long since became the character of myths of various people inhabiting America. Usually this animal is represented the prankster and the rascal. He is capable of dirty tricks – but not on harm of character, and on the cheerful nature. Here only the coyote is not able to be responsible for the pranks.
In mythology of a number of North American tribes the red wolf personified the deity which patronizes soldiers, hunters and lovers. The coyote is considered the big sorcerer. The myth according to which "the divine dog" created people from dirt is known, having made it is absolutely accidental, during the game. At some Indian tribes the coyote was considered as a totemic animal therefore did not hunt him.