Canis latrans mearnsi
Encyclopedia
Canis latrans mearnsi, also known as the Mearns coyote, is the sub-species of coyote
native to the American Southwest. It is one of the smaller sub-species of coyote: 18-21 inches tall, 42-50 inches long, and weighing 15-25 pounds (20-40 pounds less than some of its northern relatives). It ranges in color from gray to light reddish brown, making it well camouflaged against desert soil.
Its range extends from extreme southern Utah
and Nevada
in the north, southeastern California
and northeastern Baja California
on the west, west of the Rio Grande
in New Mexico on the east, and northern Sonora
and Chihuahua in Mexico on the south.
Their diet consists mainly of rabbits and rodents, but they will also eat carrion, birds, reptiles, and scorpions. n the autumn, they eat prickly pear
tunas, the fruit of the prickly pear cactus. They will also eat "backyard" fruits like figs and grapes if they are available. In and near cities, coyotes will also eat garbage and small domestic animals that have been left unattended.
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
native to the American Southwest. It is one of the smaller sub-species of coyote: 18-21 inches tall, 42-50 inches long, and weighing 15-25 pounds (20-40 pounds less than some of its northern relatives). It ranges in color from gray to light reddish brown, making it well camouflaged against desert soil.
Its range extends from extreme southern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
in the north, southeastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and northeastern Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
on the west, west of the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
in New Mexico on the east, and northern Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
and Chihuahua in Mexico on the south.
Their diet consists mainly of rabbits and rodents, but they will also eat carrion, birds, reptiles, and scorpions. n the autumn, they eat prickly pear
Opuntia
Opuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus , is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae.Currently, only prickly pears are included in this genus of about 200 species distributed throughout most of the Americas. Chollas are now separated into the genus Cylindropuntia, which some still consider...
tunas, the fruit of the prickly pear cactus. They will also eat "backyard" fruits like figs and grapes if they are available. In and near cities, coyotes will also eat garbage and small domestic animals that have been left unattended.
External links
- Arizona coyote picture and information, Mearns (Canis mearnsi)
- Coyote Cabeza Prieta Natural History Association Sonoran Desert Mammals
- Living With Coyotes. Arizona Game and Fish.