Mearns Coyote (''Canis latrans mearnsi'')

See our RP Guide for more extensive information regarding coyotes.

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  1.   1.  Common Names
  2.   2.  'Souls Range
  3.   3.  Appearance
  4.   4.  Other Characteristics
    1.   4.1  Social Structure
    2.   4.2  Survival
    3.   4.3  Luperci
  5.   5.  More Images
  6.   6.  Citations


Coyote Subspecies Map
See also: world species map

1.  Common Names

Mearns Coyote

2.  'Souls Range

Southwestern Colorado and southern Utah south to northern Sonora and Chihuahua.

3.  Appearance

The Mearns Coyote is the second smallest coyote subspecies, ranging from 18 - 21 inches (45 - 53 cm) and weighing in at 15 - 25 pounds (6.8 - 11 kg), as much as twenty pounds less than some of its northern cousins. Its coloration is typically light gray to brown, camouflaging it against the desert soil. It possesses the usual creamy underside and darkened back of the coyote.

4.  Other Characteristics

4.1  Social Structure

These coyotes do not tend to form packs; they prefer to keep to pairs or individuals, as their range is heavily influenced by wolf activity, experiencing competition from Mexican Wolves and Great Plains Wolves.

Canis latrans mearnsi, from Wikimedia Commons

4.2  Survival

These coyotes experienced some trouble following 1988; though they had adapted to living amongst humans and within suburban areas, shortly after the human apocalypse, competitive wolves began encroaching on the coyotes' homeland. This sparked conflict, and the coyotes bore the brunt of losses, ending up deprived of much of their original territory and severely reduced in numbers. Nevertheless, these coyotes persist, still eking out a living in their reduced range.

4.3  Luperci

Many of these coyotes are Luperci, and as a necessity, they are beginning to adapt to more humanized ways, learning weapons use as well as other technologies to try to spike an advantage over the wolves and dogs that they compete with. It has not been entirely successful as of yet; much of the population is steadfastly clinging to older tradition, refusing conversion to new humanized ways.

5.  More Images

Mearns Coyote, Wikimedia Commons Mearns Coyote, Wikimedia Commons Mearns Coyote in Arizona, guppiecat@Flickr Mearns Coyote in Painted Desert, Arizona; marj_k@Flickr Mearns Coyote in Grand Canyon; eob@Flickr

6.  Citations

  1. Statemaster.com


Categories: Coyote | Fauna | Resources