Coyote (Canis latrans)

The coyote, another consummate survivor, thrives on the boundaries of civilization. It can be found throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. The name "coyote," comes from Mexican-Spanish, but ultimately derives from an Aztec name, "coyotl". In Native American myth, the coyote is seen both as a trickster and a hero.

The coyote as found in Minnesota grows to the size of a middle-breed dog, around 40 inches long and up to 45 pounds. Coyotes are usually solitary animals, but have been known to roam in small, single sex groups. Coyotes are believed to be once most active during the day, but with the spread of human inhabited areas, they have switched to be mostly nocturnal animals.

The success of the coyote in human-inhabited areas is largely due to wolves being pushed out. Coyotes and wolves survive on many of the same prey animals. Wolves being more skittish and sensitive to human-nearness, the coyote benefits from human presence.

Living so close to humans, coyotes have contact in many ways. For example, coyotes have been known to mate with domestic dogs. The resulting offspring is known as a "coydog," which has the coyotes predatory instincts with the dog's lack of shyness around humans. Coydogs are thus a threat to human livestock and other pets. Coyotes themselves are not afraid to attack and eat the whole variety of human pets, especially cats and small dogs.

The coyote is thus commonly seen as a dangerous pest. In spite of this, and the fact that coyotes are extensively hunted, they continue to thrive and expand their habitation areas into suburban and even urban areas of man.