Coyote - description, habitat, lifestyle

Under the coyote means an animal, preferably living in the vast North America. Individuals quickly adapt to the environment in which they live; therefore, they find a food base and successfully reproduce. Representatives of the dog family are ranked as mammals and chord type. Coyotes can be considered relatives of foxes, dogs, wolves. To date, there are more than 18 species of coyotes, each species is distinguished by its habits and way of existence.

Description

1. Most of the individuals are dispersed throughout Canada, North America, the United States of America and Mexico. Mammals are also found in Eurasia, but they are much smaller in local places. Detailed information on distribution can be found below, but for now we will give the external characteristics of the individuals represented.
2. In terms of overall characteristics, these animals are slightly smaller than wolves.The body is stretched to a length of 1 meter maximum, an additional about 25 cm. Is given to the tail. On the withers, the mammal grows to half a meter, but often there are much less representatives of the family. As for the mass, it directly depends on the fatness and food supply of a particular individual. It may be about 8-20 kg.
3. A distinctive feature of the animals discussed are the ears of a standing format, this feature of the individual is somewhat similar to wild dogs. The tail is medium-sized, but at the same time fluffy and even. The individuals living in the mountains are pigmented slightly darker than their counterparts, living preferably in desert zones. The first are dark, brown, the second are colored brown or beige.
4. The fur is dense and elongated. It is often found reddish blotches, but most of the population is pigmented in black and gray. The abdominal section is lightened, closer to the beige or whitish. The outskirts of the tail has a black spot. If you compare these mammals with wolves, the first muzzle is sharpened.

Lifestyle

1. Despite the fact that these animals do not differ in gullibility, they can often be found near human dwellings. Representatives of the family under discussion occupy territorial districts on the outskirts of cities and towns, after which they settle down. Wolves, in turn, try to stay away from humans.
2. Coyote like moderately overgrown areas, which are dominated by desert zones. They bypass the forest area. Most activity occurs at twilight or at night, in the daytime individuals prefer to hide and sleep for further hunting after sunset.
3. Individuals who have reached puberty are ready for independent existence. They are excellent builders, digging minks and settling in abandoned places. An adult mammal occupies its own individual site, which is carefully guarded. The area is about 20 km., Sometimes more. Individuals label urine, thus showing others whose territory it is. In the future, notes are guided when moving away from home in search of food supply.
4. Animals breed quickly enough when there are no wolves nearby. These mammals are ranked as small-sized.But this does not prevent them from making long jumps up to 4 meters in length. During the hunt, animals accelerate to 60 kilometers per hour and even more.
5. These individuals can adapt to the most severe climatic conditions and changes in the natural habitat. Most of the population is dispersed throughout North America. Some representatives settled in the central, southern parts of the continent. With regard to the duration of existence, animals fall to ten years, but often die prematurely. In captivity, coyotes live for 15 years and more due to the quality of food and care.

Nutrition

1. Representatives of the family are omnivores. They are not too picky in terms of food choices. Most of the basic diet is food of animal origin. Especially often hunt for gophers, rabbits, rodents of small type. They also consume raccoons, possums, beavers, various types of birds and insects.
2. Mammals feel great in the aquatic environment. They hunt for fish and frogs, absorb newts and other such animals. When there is an opportunity to enjoy the fruits, the menu is brightened up with food of plant origin.We are talking about berries and fruits, some particularly enterprising individuals eat nuts and seeds.
3. The menu is varied, depending on the season. When food is scarce, animals consume carrion, hunt wounded animals to save their energy. Some deliberately seek out sick animals, after which they are killed and consumed. If coyotes live in national parks, they become accustomed to visitors and regale on their hands.
4. Studies were conducted in the course of which it was possible to establish what and in what volume these mammals eat. A quarter of their daily menu is carrion, a little less is given to rodents and livestock.
5. Rarely individuals hunt wild deer, they eat birds and insects. Plant food is rare, it is given less than two percent. As for livestock, coyotes attack him only when there is nothing to eat at all. At the same time, they can hunt calves and lambs.

Breeding

1. During the mating period, mature individuals form pairs. It is noteworthy that such animals are monogamous.In addition, these animals are very attentive and responsible parents. They are very concerned about their offspring.
2. Active reproduction in these animals occurs approximately from the middle to the end of winter. After mating, the female continues to bear offspring for about 2 months. As soon as babies are born, parents take turns taking care of them.
3. At the same time, adults try to protect their shelter reliably. Most often it is located in the crevices of rocks or in a shallow hole. It is noteworthy that each family of such animals necessarily has several additional houses.
4. In case of danger, coyotes transfer youngsters to safer housing. The considered individuals reach sexual maturity at about the age of 1 year. It is interesting that it is the married couples who start to form after the age of 2 years.
5. After mating, the female can bring a maximum of up to 12 puppies. They see through only 10 days after birth. For the first month, the mother feeds the young exclusively with milk. After this, babies sometimes leave the den. Approximately at the age of six months they become completely independent.
6. Mature males try to leave their home and lead an independent lifestyle.Mature females, by contrast, prefer to remain in the parental lair. It is noteworthy that it is in the first year that the most young individuals die.
7. As for the rest, as mentioned earlier, both parents after the birth of babies equally share responsibilities. In the first days the female does not leave the puppies at all. At this time, the duties of guarding and gathering food for the entire family fall on the male.
8. All that manages to get an adult coyote, he leaves at the entrance to the hole. Sometimes he belches half-digested food. As soon as the young grow up a little, both parents start to go hunting. It is noteworthy that young animals from several females can be raised and raised in a large dwelling.
9. Another interesting fact to note. It often happens that viable hybrids are often born between wolves and coyotes. Also considered individuals often interbreed with wild dogs. The result is a hybrid offspring.

The enemies

1. As for natural enemies, wolves and cougars often hunt presented animals.Often it suffers precisely immature young. Also defenseless puppies are attacked by wild birds, large dogs, owls and even adult coyotes. Less than half of the young live to maturity.
2. Also the animals in question have a natural food rival. Most often it is presented in the form of a red fox. It is these animals that can force coyotes out of their territory. In addition, the high mortality rate of represented animals is expressed due to the fact that they are subject to many deadly diseases.
3. Coyotes are often exterminated by people in large numbers. Previously there was a problem with a large population of represented animals. The man was simply forced to poison and destroy the coyotes. Even entire areas were burned.

Status

The considered individuals belong to the usual and fairly common type of animals. Coyotes became a separate species that separated more than 2 million years ago. It was during this period that the represented animals were able to develop and isolate themselves from a common ancestor. Currently, such animals are not endangered.

In today's material we looked at quite interesting representatives of the canine family, which are distinguished by their appearance and the characteristics of existence.The represented individuals are endowed with a high level of intelligence, they can get used to a person if they live in national parks and near people's dwellings. Most of the population is dispersed throughout North America.