1. Order Carnivora Family Canidae
Large canines
No diastema
Body size large (TL > 68 cm)
Claws not retractile
Face not flat (except for some C. familiaris breeds)
Long legs
Vulpes vulpes

2. Canis latrans Coyote
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
By Kim Schaefer

3. Canis latrans
Identification: Dorsum generally grayish brown, but variable; venter paler; black tip on tail; large, pointed ears; long, slender snout; carry tail angled down; well developed sagittal ridge; prominent V above orbits
Skull mm
TL 1-1.3m; T cm

4. Canis latrans Distribution: statewide Also nationwide and beyond
-lack of natural predators
-very adaptive to human activity
Habitat: wide range including forests, clearcuts, woodlots, prairie, farms, etc.
Dens- burrows, rock crevices, variable depending on location

5. Canis latrans
Diet: rodents, rabbits, livestock, carrion, birds, lizards, amphibians, berries, fruits, plants
-Essentially carnivorous, but will eat almost anything.

6. Canis latrans Reproduction: annual litter averaging 6 pups
-born in the spring after 63 days of gestation
-adult size is reached in 6 to 9 months
-Sexually mature at 1 year

7. Canis latrans Conservation status: abundant with increasing numbers
Other:
-good swimmers, but poor climbers
-can run up to 40 mph
-acute hearing, olfactory
-host of rabies
-very vocal: howl, yelp, bark and huff

8. References: Canis latrans
Animal Diversity Web. Canis latrans. Availible at October 2004
Jones, J.K, Jr. and E.C. Birney Handbook of Mammals of the North-central States. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.
Kays, R.W. and D.E. Wilson The Mammals of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

9. Vulpes vulpes Red Fox
Dawn Goshorn

10. Description The red fox is the largest fox in Iowa.
It is roughly the size of a medium dog with a slight build.
The coat is reddish to yellowish dorsally and white ventrally, the feet and tips of ears are black and the tail has a white tip.
, resembling a medium sized dog
Other color morphs include a black phase, silver phase and cross phase.
Yellowish eyes with elliptical pupils
During the winter the hair between the toes grows so long it almost hides the foot pads.
AS2000/pages/red_fox.html

11. Distribution The fox is widely distributed over North America.
The species was neither widespread or common before settlement.
Their presence in Iowa was not recorded until 1840.

12. Reproduction
Average litter is about five pups between March and April.
Both parents build the den and the male provides food for the female until the pups are weaned.
All color variations may be born in one liter.

13. Habitat Landscapes with open fields and forested areas
It does best in open areas of forest.

14. Diet Rabbits Quail and pheasants Woodchucks Squirrels Muskrats
Young eat insects

15. Conservation Declining due to the expansion of coyote populations.
Common to abundant in Iowa.

16. Interesting Facts Five toes on front feet but only four on back feet.
Pelts have gone for about $ 50 in recent years.
There are silver and black color morphs.
They travel up to 40 miles from their dens.

17. References
Rue, Lee L Sportsman’s Guide to Game Animals Popular Science Publishing Company, Inc. New York, NY
Briney, Elmer C. Jones, J. K Handbook of Mammals of the North-Central States University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN
Bowels, John B Mammals of Iowa Texas Tech Press Lubbock, TX
Kays, Roland W. Wilson, Don E The Mammals of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ

18. Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Gray Fox

19. Order Carnivora Family Canidae
Canis Familiaris
Domestic Dog

20. Canis Familiaris : Domestic Dog Abbie Parker
Identification: There is a large variety of domestic dogs, they have a great variation in coat type, color, and general morphology.
The Chihuahua is the smallest while the Irish Wolfhound is the largest.
Their head and body length ranges from mm, tail length ranges from mm, shoulder height ranges from mm. The average weight ranges between 1-79 kilograms.

21. Canis familiaris
Distribution: There 50 million owned dogs and many more feral dogs.
Feral dogs tend to be found in the country side or in cities where owners abandoned them
Diet: Domestic dogs prefer meat to cereal diets.
They may take food from people, scavenge for food, or actively hunt deer or small mammals. Feral dogs will eat garbage.

22. Canis Familiaris
Reproduction: Females have an average gestation period of 63 days. They have on average 3-10 young and will nurse them up to six weeks.
Conservation Status: Domestic Dogs are found everywhere in homes to the wild.

23. Canis Familiaris
Habitat: Dogs live wherever they are sheltered. Feral dogs tend to live in the country side, but feral dogs in cities find shelter in vacant buildings, garages, under parked cars and stairways.
The relationship between domesticated dogs and humans dates back to 14,000 years ago. Where this relationship started no one knows for sure!

24. Canis Familiaris
Other: There are multiple breeds of dogs and historically it is believed that different races of wolves contributed to the ancestry of today’s modern dog.
Many people believe that the American Indians were the first to have domesticated dogs, that they were breed from wolves. Then it is thought that when the Europeans came the brought even more breeds to mate.

25. Bibliography
Norwalk, Ronald M. "Walker's Mammals of the World." Dogs, Wolves, Coyotes, & Jackals. 26 Oct 2004 <
Hubrecht, Robert. Dogs & Dog Housing. 26 Oct 2004 <
Zgurski, Jessie. The Origin of the Domestic Dog, Canis familiaris. 26 Oct 2004 <

26. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Identification
Dorsum gray
Whittish underparts
Black, white, and rufous markings on neck, head, and flanks
Rufous legs
Hairs along middle of back and top of tail are tipped with black

27. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Identification (continued)
Crepuscular and nocturnal
Smaller than red fox
Total length= mm
Tail= mm
Hind foot= mm
Ear= 70-80mm
Weight= kg

28. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Distribution
Statewide
Southern Canada through most of United States to northern South America.

29. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Habitat
Inhabits mostly wooded areas preferring mixed hardwoods
Rocky and brushy riparian habitats
Favors woodland near farmland borders
Possible of 3-5 foxes in one square mile of good habitat
Home range for males is 336 acres and for females it is around 254 acres

30. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Diet
Omnivore
Small mammals, birds, fish, small reptiles, eggs, rodents, fruits, berries, and corn
Hunt by stalking, dash and grab, jumping onto prey

31. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Reproduction
Breed December-April
Gestation days
1 litter of 1-7 young
Young weigh ~100grams
Kits have blackish coat with eyes shut for days

32. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Reproduction (continued)
Independently forage on own after 4 months
Dens are less conspicuous than red fox
Den sites: hollow logs or trees, crevices in rocks, caves, and in piles of brush and wood, abandoned buildings, underground burrows
Live up to years

33. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Conservation status
Abudant

34. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Other
Run up to 26 mph for short distances
Only member of canine family to climb trees
Have been found 60 ft above ground in squirrel an hawk nests

35. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Other (continued)
Furbearer
Territorial
Communication by scent, body posturing, and sound

36. Urocyon cinereorargenteus References
Jones, J.K. Jr. and E.C. Birney Handbbok of Mammals of the North-Central States. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.
Kays, R.W. and K.E. Wilson, The Mammals of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.
Mammels of Texas. Common Gray Fox. Available at
The Cyber Zoomobile. Gray Fox. Available at

37. Order Carnivora Family Procyonidae
Large canines
No diastema
Claws not retractile
Bushy, ringed tail
Procyon lotor

38. Procyon lotor Raccoon Patty Morgan

39. Procyon lotor: raccoon
Identification:
Grizzled gray/brown, darkest dorsally, with black mask on face and 4-7 black rings on tail.
4-15 kg, up to 48lbs in north
24-37 inches in total length
Nocturnal

40. Procyon lotor: raccoon
Distribution:
Southern Canada throughout United States
Statewide in Iowa
Habitat:
Woodlands near water, urban and farmland

41. Procyon lotor: raccoon
Diet:
Omnivorous- fruits, corn, invertebrates, small vertebrates, eggs
Reproduction:
One litter per year; 1-8 young, young stay with mother for one year, Den in trees, underground burrows, abandoned buildings

42. Procyon lotor: raccoon
Conservation status:
Common in Iowa, population growing as raccoons adapt to urban areas
Other:
Hunted for fur
Life span of 3-4 years,
Can carry diseases and parasites,
Seen as a pest to farmers and in urban areas

43. Procyon lotor: raccoon Damage from raccoons

44. References
Animal Diversity Web. The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Available at October 2004.
eNature.com. National Wildlife Federation. Available at October 2004.
Jones, J.K, Jr. and E.C. Birney Handbook of Mammals of the North-central States. University of Minnesota Press, Minneaopolis.
Kays, R.W. and D.E. Wilson The Mammals of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.