COYOTE

Canis latrans
By: Daniel Burt

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida

Curabitur leo

Maecenas

Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: latrans

Coyotes are very clever and are able

to adapt to the ever changing
environments of humans. Coyotes
are carnivorous but due to their
adaptiveness are not picky eaters.
They will hunt anything from
rodents, fish, frogs, to the livestock
on farmlands and are sometimes
seen as a menace to farmers.
Coyotes are very capable and have a
keen sense of smell and eyesight and
can run up to 40 miles an hour.

Coyotes are an incredibly

adaptable species that lives in
North and Central America and in
some parts of Canada.

References
Beko, Marc, and Eric M. Gese. Coyote (Canis latrans).
(2003). USDA National Wildlife Research

Coyotes reproduce once a year and have an

Center - Sta Publications. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.

average litter size of 6 with a gestation period

of 63 days. Mating season is in the early
spring. Coyotes have an average life

No Author Name Given. Coyote C. Latrans. 1996.

expectancy of 13.5 years but have been know

National Geographic. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.

to live as long as 18 years in captivity.

Abundant information about coyotes habitat
is available because of the variety of habitats
that coyotes occupy. These creatures live in
desserts, mountains, and grasslands and often
live in close proximity to humans relative to
other carnivores. Coyotes also tend to live in
areas that are not already being occupied by
larger carnivores to avoid a competitive
disadvantage.

Coyotes have 38 pairs of chromosomes. They are

canids and are often mistaken for gray wolves or even
domestic dogs. Fertile hybrids have been bred from
domestic dogs and gray woles. Coyotes exhibit more
aggressive behaviors than domestic dogs or gray wolves
and exhibit these behaviors earlier in life and will
engage in serious fights when they are under 25 days
old.