Coyote

Taxonomy

• kingdom

  • animal

• Phylum

  • Chordate

• Class

  • Mammal

• Family

  • Canidae

• Order

  • Carnivora

• Genus

  • Canis

• Species

  • C.latrans

Evolution

• Subspecies

  • Plains coyote

  • Mexican

  • San Pedro Martir

  • El Salvador

  • Southeastern

  • Belize

  • Honduras

  • Durango

  • Northern

  • Tiburon island

  • Mountain

  • Mearns

  • Lower rio Grande

  • California valley

  • Peninsula

  • eastern

  • Texas plains

  • Northeastern

  • Northwest Coast

  • Colima

length of existence

• 2 million years

Closest relative

• Red wolf

Ancestors

• Cynodictis

• Dire wolf

• Lepophagus 

Description

• The coyote has grayish-brown to yellowish-brown fur on top and whitish fur on its underparts. It has large triangular ears on the top of its head and a long, narrow muzzle. It has a black nose; yellow eyes; and a long, bushy tail. Coyotes weigh 20-50 lbs and stand roughly 24 inches tall at the shoulder on average. Coyotes live roughly 6-14 years in the wild. besides size Male and female coyotes are identical, females tend to be 10-15 lbs lighter than males.

Habitat

• Coyotes habitat is very large, they are able to survive almost anywhere. coyotes currently survive in every state except hawaii. They are able to live in all sorts of terrain from desert to ice.

Distribution

• Coyotes are only found in North america but are predicted to expand into south america.

• The coyote is a native species although they have rapidly expanded their range due to lack of higher predators.

Diet

• Coyotes are omnivores, which means they will eat or try to eat just about anything. 

• Coyotes are opportunistic eaters, they will eat what they find when they find it, averaging 2-3 lbs of food daily.

• Coyotes will get food anyway possible.

Social structure

• Coyotes live in family groups but usually hunt and travel alone.

• These family groups have an alpha pair and 3-8 additional members.

• There are two or more beta coyotes who are responsible for defending territory and helping to look after the pups and the mother.  

• Some pups disperse and meet up with other dispersed animals to form new mating pairs and packs.  This rearrangement of the pack occurs in late fall, when it is decided which of that year’s pups will become nomadic, which will remain as members of the pack, and which will leave to potentially begin packs of their own in an adjacent territory.

Reproduction

• Once a year coyotes mate with the same partner they have had their entire life since the age of 2.

• mating takes place in late February to early march.

• At the age of 2 females have many options for mates but the male that treats her the best/brings her the best and most food, gets her love for life.

• females give birth to an average of 6 pups.

Development

• Both parents help to raise the offspring by providing food, and pups are weaned and begin to venture out of the den after about 35 days.

• Pups remain with their parents over the next few months, but they grow up fast and must eventually strike out on their own before the next generation is born. Some of the offspring might remain to help raise the next batch of younger siblings, but most will disperse in an attempt to find their own territory and mates.

• The parents can then start to produce a new litter of pups when mating season comes around again.

• sexual maturity is at 12 months

Causes of death

• Cougars, wolves, grizzly bears and black bears are known to kill coyotes

• Because the species is thriving and monogamous sexual competition is rarely a cause of death

• Scarcoptic mange is a debilitating disease associated with coyotes and their relatives, especially foxes, and is identified by dermatological examination. It is transmitted by a mite that infects an individual by burrowing into their skin.

Competition

• Inter species competition is limited to mating and lack of resources. coyotes chose to avoid confrontation unless it threatens their own well being.

• Intra species competition is strong with wolves, mountain lions, bobcats, and foxes who are all competing for the same resources.

• Coyotes main motivation is food, whatever they need to do to get it.

IUCN

• Least concerned

• Densities vary from one coyote for every three miles during high population years to one coyote for every five or six miles during lower population years.

• The population is growing throughout north america as coyotes continue to adapt and expand their range.

Impact of humans

• as the Human population grows so does the suburbs that house them. This creates an shrinkage in coyotes range that is free of humans, therefore creating more interaction. Coyotes feeling safe in a populated area can be a danger to humans and pets. humans have been interacting with coyotes since first existance but just in the past decade has the problem been growing. some efforts made to minimize the impact of coyotes in suburbs is extermination and humans avoiding coyotes in general.