5.2.5 COYOTE (Cams /atraws; 



The coyote is found in a variety of habitats, but 

 seems to prefer early successional stages of vegetation 

 that are fairly open with a large amount of ' edge ' 

 (Young and Jackson 1951, Schwartz and Schwartz 

 1959, Krefting 1969, Lowery 1974b, O'Neil and Lins- 

 combe 1976). Coyotes have been observed in sugarcane 

 fields, rice fields, pastures, upland forests, bottomland 

 hardwoods, swamp forests, fresh and brackish marshes, 

 forests on cheniers, and in transitional areas between 

 wetland and agriculture habitats. Optimum habitat 

 contains permanent sources of freshwater, and an abun- 

 dance of prey species and seasonal fruits. 



Little is known about the daily and seasonal move- 

 ments of coyotes in the Chenier Plain. According to 

 Larry J. Dugas (925 Iberia Street, New Iberia, La. 

 70560), who has been monitoring coyote activity in 

 southwestern Louisiana since 1972, individuals and 

 groups move over several square miles during a day or a 

 season. Dugas observed both daytime and nightime 

 movement, although activity was greatest at night. 



Coyotes are omnivores that are highly adaptable to 

 seasonal changes in the availability of food. Knowlton 

 (1964) stressed that coyotes utilize the most abundant 

 and convenient food source available. Wilson (1967) 

 reported srr.all rodents and rabbits as the number one 

 and two foods consumed by Louisiana coyotes. In the 

 Chenier Plain, Dugas (unpubl.) found that rabbit, nu- 

 tria, and bird remains occurred most frequently in scat 

 samples collected during the winter months. 



Mating occurs wherever an estrous female accepts a 

 breeding male. Dens are usually used for bearing and 

 rearing young. Den sites vary and may be found in 

 banks, hillsides, stubble fields, plowed fields, dense 

 thickets, drainage pipes, dry culverts, hollow logs, un- 

 der railroad trestles and deserted buildings, or in en- 

 larged dens of other mammals (Schwartz and Schwartz 

 1959, Lowery 1974b, O'Neil and Linscombe 1976). 

 Dens are usually located near water. Both parents care 

 for the young (Young and Jackson 195 1 , Schwartz and 

 Schwartz 1959, Laycock 1974, Lowery 1974b). Pups 

 are weaned after 8 weeks (Schwartz and Schwartz 

 1959, Lowery 1974b). Both parents feed the young up 

 to the age of 12 weeks. 



Man's attempt to eradicate the coyote is an impor- 

 tant limiting factor for the species (Schwartz and 

 Schwartz 1959, Krefting 1969). 



5.2.6 NORTHERN RACCOON {Procyon lotor) 



Raccoon movement patterns are affected by food 

 availabUty and tidal changes. Fleming (1975) reported 

 that in the summer raccoons in the Chenier Plain use 

 canal levees more than any other area when crayfish are 

 abundant and readily accessible. During the winter, rac- 

 coons feed largely on fish along the bayou edges. In 

 Florida marshes, Ivey (1948) found that feeding was 

 heaviest during low-tide intervals, when a variety of 

 food items were exposed on mud banks and beaches. 



Average home ranges (74 to 100 ha or 183 to 

 247 a) in the Chenier Plain vary seasonally (Fleming 

 1975). The raccoon is found in all wetlands and adja- 

 cent upland habitats. Highest densities are in marshes 

 and swamp forests (O'Neil and Linscombe 1976). 



Raccoons are often found resting on canal levees, 

 elevated banks of bayous, ponds, and lakes, and on the 

 limbs and in cavities of trees. Of 426 resting sites exam- 

 ined by Fleming (1975) on Rockefeller Refuge, 50% 

 were near open water, 28% were on levees, and 22% 

 were in open marsh areas. Resting areas are often loca- 

 ted in dense stands of common reed during summer, 

 and in cordgrass during cooler months. 



The raccoon is an omnivore. Fleming (1975) re- 

 ported the following foods for raccoons in the Chenier 

 Plain: crayfish, fiddler crab, blue crab, shrimp, palmet- 

 to, peppervine, hackberry seeds, liveoak acorns, musk- 

 melon, pokeweed, giant reed, dragonflies and beetles, 

 swamp rabbit, passerine birds, reptile eggs, shad,mullet, 

 and mirmows. Crustaceans are the major food items. 

 Fruits are consumed mostly in the fall, and fish most 

 often during the winter. 



Denning sites are usually necessary for the success- 

 ful bearing and rearing of young. Dens may be located 

 in dense stands of vegetation and in cavities of trees. 

 Urban (1969) reports that abandoned muskrat houses 

 are used as dens by raccoons in Florida marshes. The 

 young, born in the spring, are weaned at 10 weeks of 

 age and remain with the female until winter (Johnson 

 1970, Lowery 1974b). 



Loss of den sites from land clearing operations is a 

 major limiting factor to raccoon populations in some 

 areas (Schwartz and Schwartz 1959). Raccoon popula- 

 tions also fluctuate in response to the prevalence of 

 disease and parasites (O'NeiJ and Linscombe 1976). 



5.2.7. NEARCTIC RIVER OTTER (Lutra canadensis) 



Otters have a home range of 80 to 160 km (50 to 

 100 mi) of shoreline (Schwartz and Schwartz 1959). 

 They travel more during the mating season than at any 

 other time (Wilson 1959). Families appear to live with- 

 in an area of about 23 km^ (9 mi^) according to 

 Wilson (1959). Otters occasionally travel overland from 

 one water body to another. 



Otters are mostly nocturnal, but occasionally are 

 active during the day. They remain active all year and 

 are not inhibited by weather changes (Schwartz and 

 Schwartz 1959). 



The primary types of habitat utilized by the river 

 otter are swamps, streams, and marshland in coastal 

 areas (St. Amant 1959). Favorable habitat includes 

 tidal flats, freshwater streams, ponds, and small, open- 

 water lakes. Coastal habitats produce 80% of the an- 

 nual otter fur production for Louisiana (O'Neil and 

 Linscombe 1976). 



The otter requires a year-round permanent water 

 supply to survive. Appropriate sites for dusting and 

 sunning, interspersed with aquatic feeding areas, are 



229 



