Le coyote : aboyeur des plaines

Le mot coyote est une adaptation du mot aztèque « coyotl » signifiant « chien qui aboie ». Le coyote est l’exemple parfait de l’intelligence animale.

"...Hey... Come back! - Tu t'en vas déjà?..."

Il sait adapter sa vie en fonction du contexte. Il passe alternativement d’un mode de vie communautaire, riche d’un langage complexe, à un mode de vie solitaire.
C’est cette extraordinaire faculté d’adaptation qui lui a permis de survivre à toutes les persécutions.

The coyote - Canis latrans

The coyote, or "little wolf" as the Native Americans call it, is a member of the dog family. It is the topic of many Native American folklore tales. Its name comes from the Aztec word "coyotl." Its scientific name is "canis latrans" which means "barking dog."
The coyote, usually associated with the open lands of the west, is now found throughout the United States. Not native to Ohio, its presence here shows the animal's ability to adapt to new environments. Coyotes' good sense of smell, hearing and vision, along with being sly, enable them to even live in some urban areas. For example, a pair was found in New York City in the Spring of 1995. Presently coyotes can be found in all of the 88 counties of Ohio.

Closer view to my Friend - Mon copain vu de plus près

The coyote has the appearance of a medium-sized dog or a small German Shepherd. Coyotes are about one and a half to two feet tall and between forty-one and fifty-three inches long.
Weight ranges from twenty to fifty pounds. They have a bushy tail that is tipped with black. Most are grey, but some show rust or brown coloration. Coyote tracks are more elongated than dog tracks.
This nocturnal animal is most active at night, but if not threatened by man they will hunt during the day. The coyote is omnivorous. They will eat fruits, grasses, and vegetables along with small mammals. The coyote has a bad reputation for killing sheep and other livestock, but studies show that livestock accounts for only 14 percent of the coyotes' diet.
Coyotes mate for life. Between January and March is the breeding period. Most do not breed until they are two years old. The female selects and maintains the den. They usually dig their own dens but sometimes they use an old badger hole or fix up a natural hole. Dens are usually hidden from view.

All Photos © PressCom.com 2005