What is coyote

Coyotes typically have a highly organized social system, even in urban areas. This consists of packs, or groups, of coyotes that defend territories from other coyotes. In Cook County, coyotes have been identified as living in packs as well as traveling alone solitary coyotes.

Packs are usually composed of an alpha male and female pair, and a few other coyotes. Genetic analysis of coyotes has revealed that nearly all pack mates are close relatives, except for the alpha pair.

Observations during tracking, helicopter flights, and trapping have revealed that the coyotes in this study maintain their territories as groups.

Group size in protected habitats is typically five to six adults in addition to pups born that year. Territories have very little overlap, so the coyotes defend these areas from other groups. In rural areas, especially where hunting and trapping are common, the group may only consist of the alpha pair and the pups. Although coyotes live in family groups, they usually travel and hunt alone or in loose pairs. In this way they are different from wolves, which sometimes leads to the impression that coyotes do not form packs since they are usually seen alone.

In addition to resident packs, the urban population also consists of solitary coyotes that have left packs and are looking to join groups or create their own territories.

Between one-third and one-half of the coyotes studied each year are solitary animals. They can be either males or females and are usually young coyotes six months to two years old but can also be older individuals who have left packs. Solitary coyotes travel over large areas, up to 60 square miles covering many different municipalities; some coyotes may even disperse to different states. These animals must travel between and through, resident coyote territories.

Read the story about coyote for an example of this coyote social class. If a coyote is seen running across a field, it is impossible to know if it is a solitary coyote or a member of a pack from that sighting. All about coyotes General Information About Coyotes. General Information About Coyotes. Scientific name: Canis latrans. Pups are close to adult size at about nine months, when some will begin to leave the pack while others may remain with their parents. When living in close proximity to humans, coyotes tend to be nocturnal but may also be active in the early morning and at sunset.

In areas with little or no human activity, coyotes will hunt during the day, and when a litter of pups needs to be fed, they may have to hunt around the clock. Coyotes normally hunt alone or in pairs and rarely as a pack, unless the prey is a deer or other large animal. The coyote is a very vocal animal with a varied repertoire of calls. It uses a long howl to report its location, short barks to warn of danger, yips when reuniting with pack members, growls when establishing dominance, whines and whimpers when bonding, and high-pitched barks to summon pups.

A pack is a coyote family dominated by an alpha male and female who form a breeding pair. The size of the pack will depend on the amount of food available to sustain it. If the pack relies on a natural diet, its numbers will tend to be smaller. But if the diet is subsidized by humans, either intentionally or unintentionally, its size could be considerably larger.

Coyotes also use scat to mark the most heavily defended core areas unlike dogs. Size: Head and body: 32 to 37 inches; tail: 16 inches. Weight: 20 to 50 pounds. Size relative to a 6-ft man:. Least concern. Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Increasing. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo. Share Tweet Email. Go Further. Animals Wild Cities This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city.

Animals This frog mysteriously re-evolved a full set of teeth. Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London. Animals Wild Cities Morocco has 3 million stray dogs. Meet the people trying to help. These traits have helped coyotes spread across North America and even adapt to living alongside people in cities. Despite a sometimes rocky relationship with humans, the continental coyote population continues to thrive.

Coyotes are about as big as medium-size dogs. They are 32 to 37 inches 81 to 94 centimeters long from head to rump, plus another 16 inches 41 cm for their tails, according to National Geographic. Coyotes typically weigh 20 to 50 lbs. Coyotes are smaller than wolves. For example, a coyote skull rarely exceeds 7. Coyotes' fur may be gray, white, tan or brown, depending on where they live.

Related: How coyotes dwindled to their modern size. The species was originally only found in the prairies and deserts of central and western North America.

Humans helped facilitate their expansion in the s both by creating more open habitats through logging and agricultural development, and also hunting out wolves and cougars , which are natural coyote competitors, Live Science previously reported. As humans took over more and more countryside, coyotes adapted to live in cities.

Today, coyote populations are thriving in big cities from Los Angeles to New York. Coyotes are not picky eaters. They hunt and eat small prey, such as rodents, rabbits and squirrels, as well as insects and fruit, depending on what is available to them. Coyotes can also work together to kill deer, according to the Atlanta Coyote Project. Opportunistic coyotes will take advantage of pet food, garbage and other food left out by humans, especially in urban environments.

They have also been known to hunt livestock and human pets, such as dogs and cats. Related: Urban coyotes could set the stage for larger predators in cities.