Carnivores (many species)

Carnivores, especially the smaller carnivores such as raccoons (Procyon lotor), coyotes (Canis latrans), foxes (Urocyon sp.), and ringtailed “cats”(Bassariscus astutus) were regularly eaten. In the Early Archaic deposits at Hinds Cave dating to about 7,000 B.C., such carnivores provided an estimated 30% of the animal meat. These animals may have been particularly important in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands. Large carnivores including mountain lion Felis concolor and black bears (Ursus americanus) must have figured prominently in native lore and ritual because of their size, power, and danger. Their bones are occasionally recognized in archeological sites in the region, but their importance as a food resource in the region is unknown.