Coyote (Canis latrans)
Mammals Around
Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas
 Typical Coyote: scrawny little puppy. |
Coyotes (Canis latrans) are medium sized dogs with a long snout and a tail that is bushier than most domestic dogs. In the western deserts, they are usually tan or reddish with some black above and white below. Coyotes run with their tail held low behind their legs, which is in contrast to foxes that runs with the tail held straight out. Coyote eyeshine is greenish-gold. |
 A well-fed Coyote in winter coat (Yucca Mountain). |
Coyotes eat anything that doesn't run faster than they do, but their diet mainly consists of ground squirrels, rabbits, carrion (the meat of dead animals), and plant matter. Their scats usually contain a few bone fragments, hair, and berries, seeds, or grass. |
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Coyotes are social creatures, usually living in packs. They often hunt socially, with members of the pack spreading out to scare up a rabbit, and then individuals taking turns running the rabbit until it is exhausted and caught. |
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Coyotes are subject to much legend and lore, but the fierce nature attributed to these little dogs is all hype (unless you are a ground squirrel or rabbit). Coyotes do not attack people. While the singing of a pack of coyotes brings shutters to some people, I think the sound of a pack singing is one of the most amazing wonders of the desert. |
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Photo at left (Desert National Wildlife Range): Two coyote scats on a dirt road. The actual size is about 4-inches long. Coyotes eat as much meat as they can, so you can usually find fur and bits of bone in the scat. Coyotes also eat lots of berries, so it is not uncommon to find a scat full of juniper berries or mesquite beans. |
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Photo at left: Coyote and Kit Fox tracks in a dusty dirt road. Coyote tracks are large and oval, while Kit Fox tracks are small and round. |
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Photo at left (Red Rocks NCA): Coyote den. Coyotes dig dens in the dirt. The entrance tunnel usually is straight for a few feet, then curves to one side of the other. The entrance always seems too small for a coyote, but they can fit in amazingly small holes. |
Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
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