Coyote

The coyote is an mammal and omnivore who is very adaptable with respect to diet and environment. This adaptability has led to the migraton of the species from the open plains to almost the entire country. They have even adapted to the point where they occupy some of our cities, such as Los Angeles. It is estimated that this species numbers are at an all time high. Coyote vary from 20 to 50 lbs, depending on range. Those along the east coast tend to be the largest. He can reach speeds up to 40 miles an hour making him difficult to catch. They form strong family groups, with the male and female mating for life. The female dens up in the spring after a 60 to 63 day gestation period, when she will have 3 to 12 offspring the largest know litter being 19, most of whom will not reach maturity. Coyote can cross breed with wolves and dogs. When they breed with a dog the offspring is refered to as a coydog. Some speculate that the larger strains of coyote cross bred with Canadian wolves. My own experence, is that it is more likely that a wolf will kill a coyote rather then mate with it, but who knows. On our last trip to YNP we noticed an increase in coyote sightings, this may have been due to the significant drop in the Yellowstone wolf population. All this being said we hope you enjoy the photos of this wiley predator.