Canis latrans
Range
Coyote are found all across North America.Habitat
They are found in all habitats from woodlands and fields to deserts.Body Traits
Their fur is frosty gray to brown with a light-colored belly. They have a bushy tail with a black tip. They walk and run with their tail hung down. They weigh from 20-50 pounds.Habits
They are more active at night (nocturnal). They live in dens. Coyotes are survivors. They adapt better than wolves to living near humans. They can run up to 40 mph. They can jump 8-foot tall fences.Diet
They eat what they can find. They are scavengers. They also hunt small mammals and even deer.Predators
Predators are bears and wolves, though there are much fewer of those now, so they pose little threat to the coyote population.Reproduction
Females are pregnant for about 60 days (gestation) and can have more than 12 pups in one litter, though usually they have 6.Lifespan and/or Conservation Status
They live up to 15 years in the wild. They are not threatened.
Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Suborder: Caniformia
- Family: Canidae
- Genus: Canis
- Species: Canis latrans