by Tim Dobbins, Water Education Intern
Over the past week, the Discovery
Center has had a couple of new faces frequently visiting the activity field. Two
coyote pups have made the Discovery Center woods their home. Visitors and
employees have noticed our furry friends crossing the driveway and learning the
skills to hunt in the open field of grasses and wild flowers.
The coyote
is known to be one of the most adaptable animals in North America and can be
found throughout all of Wisconsin. Though very common here in the rural Northwoods,
coyotes can thrive in urban populations as well. One reason these animals are
able to adapt so well is because of the diversity of what they eat. Coyotes are
known as both predators and scavengers, eating a wide range of things from
small rodents and carcasses to berries, fish, and even plants like corn
depending on the season.
Coyotes are
born in April or May making our pups here around two to two and a half months
old. It is at this age that pups are taught the necessary hunting skills needed
to survive on their own. By the end of the summer the pups will be old enough
and have the skills to move out of the parents territories and find one of
their own. On occasion, the adolescent coyotes will remain with their parents
to form a hunting pack.
Northern
Wisconsin is home to another member of the dog family, the timber wolf, or gray wolf. To the untrained
eye, these cousins can often be mistaken for one another. The biggest
difference in appearance between the two is size. Wolves will grow considerably larger than
coyotes, more than double in size. But what about a young wolf that isn’t fully
grown yet? There are other traits to look for, such as the tail. Coyotes have
bushy tails and often hold them very low to the ground where a wolf tail will
be more slender in appearance. Also, the legs of a coyote are much thinner than
those of a wolf.
Join us for a wolf howling survey Wednesday, July 17th, at 7:30p - you can stop by the
Discovery Center for a chance to see the pups and to learn more about coyotes
and wolves!
Register online through Tuesday.
Sources:
Photos by Peter R.
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