Coyote Facts

It's a native North American species, and in addition to its howling in open spaces, it can also be heard in many habitats from Alaska, south and east to Florida.

Unlike their larger relatives, the wolves, Coyotes live in small family units rather than large intra-family packs. Occasionally young transients will encroach on an established territory and temporarily join a family pack.

Males can weigh in at the forty pound mark, with females often weighing up to twenty five pounds.

That makes them the equivalent of a medium sized dog. Like dogs, they easily adapt to human surroundings.

Despite their adaptability to life in the human world, it is a mistake to conflate coyote behavior with pet dog behavior. In some urban and suburban areas, for example, pet owners are alerted to keep an eye out for coyote attacks, less their pets become coyote meals.

Also unlike dogs, after centuries of hunting, coyotes are wary of human presence, and they often make their appearance in residential neighborhoods during night time hours.

© 2010 Patricia A. Michaels