Posted on 11/06/2015 2:01:29 PM PST by NYer
The test of whether they’re truly “near” is whether they can interbreed. We know that wolves, dogs, and coyotes can.
In the other cases (except for the same animal with a different regional name) we often don’t know.
This explains something.
About a month ago I saw what looked like one of these - thought it was a wolf at first, did a double take - at the corner of Swan and River roads in Tucson.
Thought it was the best looking coyote I had ever seen with the reddish fur and sleek conformation - must have been all those good meals of well fed housecats in the Catalina foothills.
How does a 100% wolf mate with a 100% coyote and the pup only be 8% wolf?
Because it’s not first-generation.
Looks like there are some really nice pelts there. Open up trapping and let fur coats come back in vogue.
Yep. Even if you miss, they are less bold after that.
Coyotes out here do breed with dogs. About 18yrs ago we bred our two papered Cattle Dogs. We got a litter of six, two of which seemed pretty obviously coyote crosses. Bigger, lankier, pointed noses and coyote coloring.
They now interbreed here in Texas. I’ve seen plenty of them. Still see some plain coyotes also. Rarely see any wolves anymore.
Coyotes, being smaller and having larger litters, have a competitive advantage over wolves in many environments. It’s rather like the way forest environments evolve, with big hardwood trees’ being more sensitive to change, while faster-growing types that can bear a more varied climate flourish.
Possibly; very possible. Largest ‘yotes I’ve seen were in the Midwest but would not be surprised at all at what might turn up in Tucson.
So, if two 100% wolves mate the pup won’t be 100% wolf?
That must have been a surprize! Wolf/dog crosses have different temperament than dogs, I’d expect a dog/ coyote to be downright weird.
I wasn’t saying coyotes and dogs can’t cross, they can. I’m saying it has not been shown that the crosses survive to reproduce and maintain a genetic presence in the wild populations. The coyotes they used to make this hypothesis were a few bodies preserved in labs from road kill and trappers.
I don’t know if they can reproduce or not. Both were females but both were spayed. I kept one and another family member kept the other.
I had mine for 14years. I have never owned a dog who was so totally focused on me. She was not aggressive to anything, more like they just didn’t exist to her, dogs, cats, people. She did talk back to coyotes when she heard them. And was always where ever I was, unless it was when I was at work. Then she just hung out in the laundry room or backyard.
that was one damn scary book.
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