Kai
Sex: Female
Birthday: April 11, 2006
Baby Girl is a captive-born coyote transferred to Zoo Idaho from the National Wildlife Research Center in Logan, Utah.
Coyote
Coyote (Canis latrans)
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: Canis latrans
Conservation Status in Idaho
Least Concern
Range and Habitat
Coyotes are found throughout North and Central America from Panama, Mexico, the United States, and almost all of Canada except for the far north-east regions. Coyotes continue to expand their distribution and are occupying more areas not within their historic of the south-west and Great Plains of the United States and Canada. They are uncommon in areas with high gray wolf populations.
Physical Features
Weight: Males, 25–45 lbs (11–20 kg); Females, 22–35 lbs (10–16 kg)
Length: 2.5–3.9 ft (100–121 cm)
Height: 3.4–4.3 ft (105–132 cm)
Tail: 1.0–1.3 ft (30–40 cm)
Coyotes are predominantly brownish gray with a lighter gray to cream colored belly. Color however varies greatly within individuals and populations. The tail is bottle shaped with a black tip; the ears are pointed, long and slender; and the feet are relatively small for body size.
Diet
Coyotes are omnivores that primarily eat small mammals such as rabbits and rodents. They do at times eat birds, snakes, insects, and other invertebrates. Fruits and vegetables tend to be significant components during the fall and winter months.
Lifespan
Coyotes may live up to 10 in the wild and 18 in captivity.
Reproduction
Both male and female coyotes reach sexual maturity between 9-12 months. Courtship occurs between January-March where the female chooses a mate. The female is monestrus and will be in heat 2-5 days. Gestation is 60-63 days with litter size ranging from 1-19 pups (six is average). The pups emerge from the den three weeks after birth and are weened around day 35. Both adults participate in the rearing of pups.
Social Behavior and Interaction
Coyotes tend to not form packs and hunt either individually, in pairs, or in family units depending on prey availability. They are nocturnal with occasional activity during daylight hours. Coyotes live in dens, typically enlarged burrows of badgers or woodchucks, year after year. Coyotes are one of the most vocal North American mammals using squeaks, howls, and distress calls to communicate between pack members and to announce territories.
Major Threats
There are no current threats.