DIETA ESTACIONAL DEL COYOTE (CANIS LATRANS) EN EL PARQUE ESTATAL SIERRA DE TEPOTZOTLÁN, ESTADO DE MÉXICO

Abstract

This study describes the seasonal variation of Canis latrans diet, through scats analysis, in Sierra de Tepotzotlán state Park. The area includes oak forest, crassicaule thicket, grasslands and deciduous sclerophyllous scrub. A total 53 scats were collected in the 2008-2009 period. With the weight of each prey and frequency of occurrence, the value food importance of each food item was calculated for the dry and rainy season. The coyote behaved like an opportunist-generalist, consumed a total of 19 prey items; the main groups used were: mammals, insects, vegetables, birds, reptiles and anthropogenic wastes. The most important prey in the dry season were the insects Acrididae, the mammal Sciurus aureogaster and fruits of Opuntia estreptocantha. While, for the rainy season was the rabbit Sylvilagus floridanus, followed by birds and insects Scarabeidae. The similarity of the diet between both seasons was low, reflecting the seasonal variation in the abundance and availability of the prey. The consumption of farm birds and food waste, may have negative effects on the health and coyote survival by conflict with the human.