COYOTES

by: Cedric L

          Coyotes are from the class Mammalia and is a member of the dog family.  They are from the genus Canis and is one of the 8 species within it.  Their species name is latrans.  Some of the others are the Wolf and all the breeds of domestic dogs.  They howl, yelp, bark, and huff.  You can listen to the sounds after you turn on the sound and put it to full volume.  Don't worry, its not loud.  Listen here   They use their tail as a threat display.  It becomes bushy and horizontal when they get mad.  They eat almost anything, including rabbits,  and insects.  They are 2-3 feet long and weigh about 15-46 pounds.  Coyotes that are up high have thicker, longer, and darker fur.  The coyotes that live in lower places have light gray and tan fur with a tail with a black tip. 

          Coyotes breed around January and February.  When breeding, the female may have 3-9 pups a year.  The average size is 6 pups.  There is a 50-70% of the pup not surviving to be an adult.  The pups go out hunting in a group when the are 6-10 weeks old. 

     Coyotes are usually spotted in Michigan, California, Wisconsin, Illinois, Oregon, New England, New Jersey, Ohio, and Eastern Canada, but they have been seen in nearly all the states in U.S.  They are usually found going though suburban grabage bins.  Coyotes rarely attack humans, but if they do, the injuries are minor, due to the fact that the coyotes that attacked were small.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-x3HclEqbc          

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEB30KLpTMs