Where it lives
The coyote can live in many different places.
Coyotes are found out West, on the grassy plains, in the mountains,
in the desert and in northern Canada.
The coyote lives in a den or burrow. It may dig a hole in the
ground or on the side of a hill. A hole in some rocks makes a
good den for this animal.
young coyote on the TransCanada highway in B.C.
Appearance
The coyote is about the size of a dog.
Its fur is greyish-red. The tip of the tail is black.
When a coyote runs its bushy tail stays down.
It can hear very well with its wide pointy ears.
A coyote's nose is pointy.
It has a very good sense of smell.
Food
A coyote usually hunts at night when animals that it eats
come out in search of food. The coyote eats rabbits, hares,
small rodents, berries, grass and insects.
It does not hibernate and needs to hunts for food all winter.
The coyote's ears can hear mice and other small animals squeaking and
running under the snow.
Babies
The female has her babies in the den.
She usually has 6 pups.
She takes very good care of them.
As soon as they are old enough they learn how to hunt.
Enemies
People trap, shoot and poison coyotes.
Farmers and ranchers blame coyotes for killing sheep, cattle,
chickens and turkeys.
Bears, wolves, mountain lions and eagles all prey on the coyote.
Adaptations
The coyote's long thick fur protects it well
in the winter time. Its coat is light-coloured in the winter and darker
in the summer. This helps the coyote blend in with the surroundings.
The coyote is a good runner and can reach speeds of up to
64 km per hour.
Coyotes hunt alone or will form groups to hunt larger animals.
CANADIAN ANIMALS
COYOTES report
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