Species: Canis latrans

Coyote

Species

Mammals

Show on Lists

Terrestrial vertebrates: mammals

Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Family

Canidae

Genus

Canis

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102680

Classification

Other Global Common Names

Coyote - coyote

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Carnivores

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Carnivora - Canidae - Canis - ) genes are incorporated into the coyote gene pool in the southeastern U.S. due to extensive hybridization. Genetic transfer of coyote mitochondrial DNA into wolf populations has occurred through hybridization in a contiguous geographic region in Minnesota, Ontario, and Quebec; the frequency of coyote-type mtDNA in these wolf populations is greater than 50%; no coyotes sampled had a wolf-derived mtDNA genotype; probably hybridization is occurring between male wolves and female coyotes in regions where coyotes only recently have become abundant following conversion of forests to farmlands (Lehman et al. 1991).

Ecology and Life History

Migration

true - false - false - >

Non-migrant

true

Locally Migrant

false

Food Comments

An opportunistic feeder; mainly carrion (including prey killed by other carnivores), small vertebrates, and invertebrates. Occasionally feeds on vegetation.

Reproduction Comments

Mates in late winter. Gestation lasts 60-65 days. Litter size averages 4-7 in different areas. Young are born March-May. Both parents tend young. Family leaves den when young 8-10 weeks old. Young are on their own by late fall. Sexually mature in 1-2 years. Interbreeds freely with domestic dog.

Ecology Comments

Population density generally is around 0.2-1.0 per sq km, though seasonally higher densities have been recorded in Texas. (Knowlton 1972). Most of the population usually is less than 3 years old. In the north, populations may increase when wolf population is low, decrease when wolf population increases. In Texas, "interactions between social organization and food availability were implicated in regulation of [a]...lightly exploited high-density population" (Windberg 1995). In the prairie pothole region, the presence of low numbers of coyotes may benefit ducks by excluding the more destructive red fox (NBS news release, 29 June 1994).

Length

132

Weight

18100

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

1996-11-15

Global Status Last Changed

1996-11-15

Other Status

LC - Least concern

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

Originally ranged throughout western and central North America, perhaps with only widely scattered populations in the southeastern U.S. Range expanded into eastern U.S. with opening of forest and extermination of wolf. Range has also expanded north to northern Alaska and south to Costa Rica. Introduced in Florida and Georgia. (Wozencraft, in Wilson and Reeder 1993).

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102680