| Order | Carnivora | Family | Canidae |
Genus Species | Canis latrans|
Coat/Fur | Reddish coat |
Size | 20-80 pounds. Average about 24 pounds. A few may be over 50 pounds. Dr. Russell Mason, a Federal wildlife expert in Utah, reported in the New York Times on July 27, 1999 that some coyotes now go up to 80 pounds.
| Names | Coyote, Canis latrans, prairie wolf, brush wolf, little wolf, songdog, coydog(though coydog is wrong, refers to a cross breed)
| Range | Originally located in the praries and rockie mountains, now range in 48 states including Alaska and down into central America. A coyote or pack will have a personal range of 2000-10000 acres, a bit more in the winter months as the need for foods drives them a bit further.
| Pups | 5-7 pups each year is typical, ranges from 2-15. Gestation period is 60 days
| Habitat | They live in the tropics, deserts, plains, moutains.
| Life Span | 15 years
| Den | Tunneled hole in the side of a hill, under a tree. May have more than one den.
| Tracks | about 3 inches long, more oval shapped and not as round as a dog's paw. Front foot is larger than the hind. Claw marks will show at the end of each toe.
| Speed | up to 40mph
| First common cause of death | Canine Distemper
Second most common cause of death Road killed by cars and trucks.
| Diet | Just about anything but primarily mice and other rodents. They will eat fruit, road killed animals and other dead animals, and dog food off of back porches.
| When seen | Mostly coyote come out at night. They can be seen in early morning, and evening as they move to and from hunting grounds.
| Pack Structure | One alpha male and female, who typically mate for life and are the only members of a pack to breed. Pack has 5-7 plus pups in the spring. Pups usually stay with the pack for a year or more and help with the next litter. After that year several may leave the pack to form new packs in the fall...about October
| Endangered Status | They are not endangered, populations are higher than ever and ranges are wider than ever.
| Teeth and Jaws | 42 teeth with long incisors and strong canine, strong jaws, great for grabbing and holding rodents.
| Eyes, Nose, Ears. | Binocular vision, strong sense of smell and hearing | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
