![]() While most wildlife species have avoided developed areas and often declined as a result of man's expansion, the coyote seems to have thrived. The coyote's strength is that it can adapt and exploit most any habitat to its advantage. Unchecked, they will eat livestock, particularly sheep and chickens. Coyotes are omnivorous and typical foods include small mammals (voles, shrews, rabbits, mice), vegetables, nuts, and carrion. The coyote will hunt in unrelated (non-family) pairs or large groups. However, when it is less threatened by man, it will hunt and move from place to place during the day. The coyote is a nocturnal animal, active during the nighttime hours. It is not unusual for young female coyotes to remain in the family unit into the following year young males that have either never left the unit or that attempt to rejoin it the following year are run off by the male. The coyotes stay together in a family unit throughout the summer into mid-fall when the young will break from the family unit and develop territories of their own anywhere from 10 to 100 miles away. At 8 to 12 weeks of age, the pups are taught hunting skills. At about three weeks of age, the young leave the den under the watch of their parents. The parents will regurgitate their stomach contents for their offspring's meals. However, the male takes the lead role when the pups are newborns, obtaining enough food for both his mate and offspring. Both parents hunt for food and feed the young. Related females will sometimes act as helpers in the care of offspring of other coyotes in the den. Occasionally, two or three females will share a large den area. The female selects, prepares, and maintains the den. Litters are born in April and May and can contain 1-12 pups. ReproductionĬoyotes are monogamous breeders and breeding occurs January through March. ![]() Males of this species are larger than the females and weigh anywhere from 20 to 50 pounds. The coyote stands about one and one half to two feet tall and is between 41 to 53 inches in length. The majority of coyotes are gray, though some show a rusty, brown or off-white coloration. Coyotes have a bushy tail which is usually tipped in black and is carried down at a 45 degree angle as the animal moves, unlike that of its other cousin the wolf. Since the coyote and domesticated dog are from the same family, Canidae, the resemblance is more than a coincidence. ![]() The coyote is generally a slender animal, very similar in appearance to a medium-sized dog. As its presence in Ohio shows, this versatile animal can make a home most anywhere.Ī Coyote is in Your Backyard: What Should You Do? ĭownload Ohio Wildlife Field Guides Description Usually, we associate the coyote with the open, deserted lands of the west. Love or hate it, the coyote has the ability to make the best of a bad situation to survive or even prosper. The coyote is not native to Ohio, but it is present throughout the state today. ![]() This animal is either revered for its intelligence and ability to resolve a conflict or threat to its life or is frowned upon for being a cunning and deceiving manipulator, much as it is thought of in real life. Native American folklore is filled with tales of the coyote ( Canis latrans). Fall 2022 DNAP eNews - Prairie Restoration.
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