Knowledge / Animals / Coyote

Coyote

Canis latrans Say, 1823

Conservation status in the wild

Not at risk

IUCN: Least concern · Red List

Encyclopaedia

What is a coyote?

At a glance3
  1. 1

    Typical body length: around 1-1.35 m.[1]

  2. 2

    Adult weight: males 8-20 kg, females 7-18 kg.[1]

  3. 3

    Longest recorded lifespan: 21.8 years (in captivity).[2]

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Fun facts7 facts
  1. 1

    Coyotes sometimes team up with badgers to dig out rodents, and some have been seen resting their heads on a badger's back or licking its face.[1]

  2. 2

    Only old, experienced coyotes can hunt porcupines, working in pairs to flip them over and attack the soft belly, while young ones often get hurt by quills.[1]

  3. 3

    Ice age coyotes were bigger and sturdier, but they shrank within about 1,000 years once their large prey died out.[1]

  4. 4

    Coyotes can be more vocal than any other wild North American mammal, with at least 11 different sounds in adults.[1]

  5. 5

    Coyotes have a rare white form in Newfoundland that is not albino, and its colouring comes from a gene inherited from Golden Retrievers.[1]

Sources2
  1. [1]Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
  2. [2]AnAge (CC-BY-3.0)

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Coyote guides

Protecting and staying safe around a coyote

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Not veterinary advice. General information about this animal. If you find one injured or in trouble, contact a wildlife rescue or the RSPCA rather than handling it yourself.