Orphaned Coyote Pup Finds New Home
July 03, 2017
The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park recently announced the arrival of Magnus the Coyote pup!
Magnus was rescued, at approximately three-weeks-old, by Paws Animal Wildlife Sanctuary (PAWS) in Waterloo, South Carolina. With no sign of his mother or other pups around, PAWS took him in and began efforts to find a facility that would care for him.
An alternate home had to be found for Magnus because South Carolina law dictates he could not be released back into the wild. The Binghamton Zoo had the space and facilities for this species, so staff eagerly started making arrangements to bring Magnus to his new home.
Binghamton Zoo staff has been caring for the eight-week-old pup and socializing with him since his arrival at the facility on June 8th. Magnus will be an important part of the Zoo’s educational team. He will help tell the story of Coyotes in the wild and their relationship with their neighbors in the wild, the Red Wolves.
Magnus is currently going through a quarantine period and will not be on exhibit. Ultimately, he will become a resident of Binghamton Zoo’s ‘Wolf Woods’ exhibit.
Photo Credits: Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park
Coyotes (Canis latrans) are a canid that can be found throughout Mexico, the United States, and Canada in habitats ranging from forests to deserts. Coyotes’ coats are colored grayish brown, reddish brown, and gray. They live about 10 years in the wild and 18 years in captivity.
Litter size ranges from 4-6 pups and it takes about 9 to 12 months for a Coyote to reach its adult size.
The Coyote is similar in size to a small German Shepherd and weighs an average of 25 to 40 pounds but can grow to a maximum of 50 pounds. They can run up to 40 mph, and can jump distances of up to 13 feet.
Coyotes are extremely intelligent with keen senses. They are mostly nocturnal, doing the majority of their hunting and traveling at night. They usually travel and hunt alone. The Coyote requires minimal shelter to survive, but it will use a den for the birth and care of its young. Coyotes prefer to take use of an abandoned badger den or natural cavities rather than dig their own den; however, they will make the necessary renovations by excavating multiple escape tunnels linked to the surface.
Coyotes are highly versatile in choice of food, but are primarily carnivorous. Prey in the wild includes: bison, deer, sheep, rabbits, rodents, birds, amphibians (except toads), lizards, snakes, fish, crustaceans, and insects. Coyotes are known to kill rattlesnakes for food, but also to protect their pups in their dens. Although Coyotes prefer fresh meat, they will scavenge when the opportunity presents itself.
The Coyote is also known to feed on a variety of different wild produce, including: blackberries, blueberries, peaches, pears, apples, prickly pears, chapotes, persimmons, peanuts, watermelons, cantaloupes, and carrots. During the winter and early spring, the Coyote may eat large quantities of grass, such as green wheat blades.
The Coyote is a major livestock predator in western North America, causing loss of sheep, goat, and cattle.
Garbage, pet food, and feeding stations for birds and squirrels attract Coyotes into backyards of rural and urban dwellings. Domestic dogs that are larger than Coyotes are usually able to scare them from such areas. However, smaller dogs and cats typically fall victim to Coyotes.
Coyotes have an extensive range across the United States. They have also slowly filled the void left by the declining population of wolves throughout the country.
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, although closely related, Red Wolves (Canis rufus) and Coyotes (Canis latrans) are two separate species. However, Red Wolves, Gray Wolves (Canis lupus), Coyotes, and Domestic Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. Social structures and territoriality usually prevent such interbreeding, the combination of a small Red Wolf population, a large and expanding Coyote population, and limited territory can result in a breakdown of the natural barriers.