Coyotes (Canis latrans), versatile canids native to North and Central America, thrive in habitats from deserts to urban neighborhoods, showcasing remarkable adaptability. With a single species and 19 subspecies, they vary in size (15-55 pounds) and fur color, from pale grey to reddish-brown, tailored to their environments. Their lean, wolf-like build and bushy tail make them agile hunters and scavengers.
These opportunistic omnivores eat rodents, rabbits, fruits, and carrion, adjusting diets to local resources, including urban garbage or pet food. Their intelligence allows them to exploit human-altered landscapes, making them common in cities like Los Angeles. They hunt alone or in small packs, using stealth and teamwork to tackle prey.
Coyotes communicate through iconic howls, yips, and barks, signaling territory or coordinating with mates. Monogamous pairs raise litters of 4-7 pups in dens, with both parents nurturing offspring. Their rapid reproduction fuels population resilience, despite hunting and habitat pressures.
Active at dawn and dusk, coyotes are elusive, avoiding humans but thriving near settlements. Their role as predators controls rodent and deer populations, benefiting ecosystems. However, they can prey on livestock or pets, sparking conflicts with farmers and residents.
Listed as “least concern” by the IUCN, coyotes face no major extinction risks, but urban encounters raise safety concerns. Coexistence strategies include securing trash, supervising pets, and using non-lethal deterrents like fencing or noise devices to minimize conflicts.
Species of Cayote
Northern Coyote (Canis latrans incolatus)
The Northern Coyote, found from central Canada to Alaska, is well-suited to cold climates, inhabiting boreal forests, tundra, and open plains. Weighing 25-35 pounds and measuring 3.5-4.5 feet long (including tail), it has a thick, pale greyish-brown coat that insulates against harsh winters. Its diet includes voles, snowshoe hares, and carrion, with occasional plant matter.
Known for solitary hunting, it uses stealth and endurance to track prey over snow. Its high-pitched howls communicate across vast territories. While not threatened, it faces habitat pressure from resource extraction. Coexistence involves securing livestock and minimizing food attractants in remote communities.
Mountain Coyote (Canis latrans lestes)
The Mountain Coyote roams the northwestern U.S. (Washington, Idaho, Montana) and western Canada, thriving in rugged mountainous forests and alpine meadows. Larger, at 30-40 pounds, it has a darker, bushy coat with grey and black hues, blending into rocky terrains. It preys on mule deer fawns, marmots, and small mammals, often hunting in pairs during lean times.
Its deeper, resonant howl carries through canyons. Adaptable to elevation changes, it faces threats from habitat fragmentation due to logging. Urban expansion near mountains increases encounters, requiring garbage management to prevent conflicts.
Northwest Coast Coyote (Canis latrans umpquensis)
Native to the coastal regions of Washington and Oregon, the Northwest Coast Coyote is smaller, at 20-30 pounds, with a reddish-brown coat that camouflages in dense coastal forests and wetlands. Measuring 3-4 feet, it feeds on crabs, fish, rodents, and berries, scavenging near shorelines and human settlements. Its agile frame navigates thick underbrush, and its yips are softer, suited to dense habitats.
While populations are stable, coastal development reduces habitat. Residents can deter them by securing pet food and fencing yards, as these coyotes readily adapt to suburban fringes.
California Valley Coyote (Canis latrans ochropus)
The California Valley Coyote, prevalent in California’s Central Valley, weighs 20-30 pounds and has a light greyish-tan coat, ideal for arid grasslands and agricultural fields. Growing to 3.5-4 feet, it preys on ground squirrels, rabbits, and insects, while also scavenging in urban areas like Sacramento. Its lean build enhances speed in open terrain.
Highly urban-adapted, it navigates suburbs, increasing human-wildlife conflicts. Control measures include removing food sources and using motion-activated lights. Its role in controlling rodents benefits farmers, though it faces threats from vehicle collisions.
San Pedro Martir Coyote (Canis latrans clepticus)
Found in Baja California’s San Pedro Martir mountains, this subspecies is small, at 20-25 pounds, with a pale, sandy coat and slender 3-3.5-foot frame. It thrives in desert scrub and rocky highlands, feeding on jackrabbits, lizards, and cacti fruit.
Elusive and nocturnal, it avoids human contact, using sharp barks to signal threats. Its isolated range limits population size, but it’s not endangered. Its ecological role in controlling small mammals is vital in arid ecosystems. Conservation involves protecting its habitat from overgrazing and development.
Peninsula Coyote (Canis latrans peninsulae)
The Peninsula Coyote, native to Baja California’s coastal deserts and shrublands, weighs 20-30 pounds and has a dark, reddish coat with black-tipped belly hair, stretching 3.5-4 feet. It feeds on small mammals, reptiles, and marine debris along shorelines, showcasing dietary flexibility.
Its compact size aids survival in sparse environments, and its yowl is sharp for open spaces. Stable but vulnerable to habitat loss from tourism, it benefits from protected coastal reserves. Coexistence requires managing beach waste to deter scavenging.
Plains Coyote (Canis latrans latrans)
The Plains Coyote, the nominate subspecies, ranges from Alberta to Texas, weighing 30-40 pounds and measuring 4-5 feet. Its pale, thick coat suits vast grasslands, where it hunts rabbits, prairie dogs, and livestock carrion in small packs. Known for its iconic howl, it communicates across prairies.
As a keystone species, it controls rodent populations, benefiting agriculture. Stable but hunted for pelts, it adapts to farmlands. Farmers use guard dogs and fencing to protect livestock, balancing its ecological value with economic concerns.
Texas Plains Coyote (Canis latrans texensis)
Inhabiting western Texas and eastern New Mexico, the Texas Plains Coyote weighs 25-35 pounds with a bright, thick coat and small ears, growing to 3.5-4.5 feet. It roams prairies and scrublands, preying on jackrabbits, birds, and carrion.
Its reddish fur blends with dusty soils, and its yips are frequent in open terrains. Stable and adaptable, it faces conflicts with ranchers. Non-lethal deterrents like noise devices and secure enclosures minimize livestock losses, supporting coexistence in rural areas.
Mearns Coyote (Canis latrans mearnsi)
The Mearns Coyote, found in Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico, is smaller, at 20-30 pounds, with bright fur, especially around its feet, and a 3-4-foot frame. It prefers desert scrub and oak woodlands, feeding on rodents, insects, and mesquite pods.
Its small skull and teeth suit a varied diet, and its sharp bark signals danger. Stable but impacted by urban sprawl, it benefits from protected lands like Saguaro National Park. Urban residents can deter it with fencing and removing pet food.
Lower Rio Grande Coyote (Canis latrans microdon)
The smallest subspecies, at 15-25 pounds, the Lower Rio Grande Coyote lives in southern Texas and northern Tamaulipas, with dark fur and a 3-3.5-foot body. It thrives in dense brushlands, hunting small mammals, birds, and reptiles.
Its compact size navigates thorny thickets, and its short yips suit close-knit habitats. Stable but vulnerable to habitat conversion, it plays a key role in controlling pests. Coexistence involves clearing brush near homes to reduce hiding spots.
Northeastern Coyote (Canis latrans thamnos)
The Northeastern Coyote, the largest at 35-55 pounds, ranges from the Great Lakes to New York, with a robust 4-5-foot frame and reddish-grey fur, possibly from wolf hybridization. Inhabiting forests, farmlands, and suburbs, it preys on deer, rodents, and garbage.
Its large teeth and deep howl reflect its size. Expanding into urban areas like Toronto, it faces conflicts. Secure trash and pet supervision reduce encounters, supporting its role in controlling urban pests.
Southeastern Coyote (Canis latrans frustror)
Found across the U.S. Southeast, this large (30-45 lbs) coyote has reddish fur, likely from red wolf interbreeding, and measures 4-4.5 feet. It roams forests, swamps, and farmlands, hunting rabbits, fawns, and crops. Its bold coloration and yowl suit dense habitats.
Stable but controversial due to livestock predation, it benefits ecosystems by controlling deer. Ranchers use electric fencing and guard animals for protection, balancing its ecological contributions.
Tiburon Island Coyote (Canis latrans jamesi)
Endemic to Mexico’s Tiburon Island, this small (15-25 lbs) coyote has thin, pale fur and a 3-3.5-foot body. A strong swimmer, it feeds on small mammals, seabirds, and coastal resources in arid shrublands.
Its strong teeth and sharp yips reflect isolation. Rare but stable, it’s protected by island reserves. Its unique genetics make it a conservation priority, with minimal human conflict due to its remote range.
Durango Coyote (Canis latrans impavidus)
The Durango Coyote, found in Sonora, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa, is large (25-35 lbs) with a reddish coat and a 3.5-4.5-foot frame. It inhabits deserts and grasslands, preying on rabbits, rodents, and carrion. Its strong teeth and deep howl suit harsh environments.
Stable but impacted by agriculture, it controls pest populations. Farmers use non-lethal deterrents like lights to minimize conflicts, supporting its ecological role.
Mexican Coyote (Canis latrans cagottis)
The Mexican Coyote, native to Oaxaca, Puebla, and Veracruz, weighs 20-30 pounds with a reddish coat and large teeth, measuring 3.5-4 feet. It thrives in tropical forests and farmlands, feeding on rodents, birds, and fruits.
Its broad muzzle aids diverse foraging, and its yips are frequent in dense habitats. Stable but faces habitat loss from deforestation, it benefits from protected areas. Coexistence involves securing crops and livestock to reduce encounters.