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Wolves
and Coyotes - Know the Difference
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| Coyote
(Canis latrans) |
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Ears
are prominent, pointed, relatively long |
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Nose
is slender and pointed |
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About
20-inches tall at shoulder; 4-feet long,
including tail |
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Front
paw, 2.5-inches long x 2-inches wide |
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Moves
with more bounce and bounding |
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Nose
is more pointed; face is mostly one
color |
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Usually
displays skittish behavior unless fed |
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Legs
and feet are smaller, more delicate |
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Weigh
20-35 pounds |
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Fur
color is very similar to wolves: |
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- Grizzled
shades of buff, gray, black and rust
- Rarely white or black |
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| Mexican
Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) |
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Ears
are rounded, relatively short |
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Nose
is large and blocky |
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About
30-inches tall at shoulder; 5- to 5.5-feet
long with tail |
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Front
paw, 4.5-inches long x 3.5-inches wide |
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Moves
with stiff and unique gait |
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Nose
is broad; face often has markings |
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Sometimes
displays curious behavior |
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Legs
are longer, more lanky; feet are larger |
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Weigh
50-80 pounds |
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Fur
color is very similar to coyotes: |
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- Grizzled
shades of buff, gray, black and rust
- Not all white or all black |
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| Helping
wolves and humans coexist |
Mexican
wolves are protected by the Endangered Species
Act under a special rule which allows people
to scare away or harass wolves in an "opportunistic
and non-injurious" manner. This means you
cannot seek out, pursue or attract wolves,
nor can you physically injure a wolf in any
way. However, you can scare a wolf away by
making loud noises with any handy implements
or by throwing rocks in the animal's direction.
Keep in mind that few people have had to frighten
Mexican wolves away, and no one has been injured
by them. Most report that hearing or seeing
wolves has not affected the success of their
hunt and say a sighting has actually added
to the quality of their experience. About
50 wolves roam nearly 10,000-square miles
of the recovery area in the Fort Apache Indian
Reservation and in the Apache and Gila National
Forests of Arizona and New Mexico.
A person who violates the rules pertaining
to wolves is subject to prosecution. Criminal
penalties are a fine of up to $50,000 and/or
up to one year in jail, and/or a civil penalty
of up to $25,000.
If you have any questions regarding wolves,
call the Wolf Project Interagency Field Team
Office at (928) 339-4329 or the Pinetop office
of the Arizona Game and Fish Department at
(928) 367-4281. |
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| Common
sense ways to avoid wolf conflicts |
Wolves normally
avoid human contact. Like all wildlife, they
can be curious and could become habituated
to humans. This is especially true if people
feed wolves at campgrounds.
If a wolf should approach you, raise your
arms and look as big as possible. Yell or
throw rocks to scare it away. Back away slowly.
Never run.
Some other tips
are: Keep
a clean camp.
Prepare
and store food and wash dishes away from
sleeping area.
Properly
store garbage in camp and dispose of garbage
in predator-proof receptacle.
Always
keep pets close to you. Do not leave them
unattended or allow them to run free.
Never
feed wildlife - including wolves.
To
report wolf sightings, possible livestock
depredations, or harassment of wolves call:
Wolf Project Interagency Field Team at (928)
339-4329 or (888) 459-9653
Arizona Game and Fish Department Operation
Game Thief hotline at (800) 352-0700
White
Mountain Apache Tribe at (928) 338-1023
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