Coyote Facts for Kids

A Coyote
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Order: Carnivora
  • Family: Canidae
  • Genus: Canis
  • Species: Canis latrans

20 Coyote Facts for Kids

  1. Coyotes are canines that are native to the North American continent.
  2. Coyotes are occasionally known as brush wolves and prairie wolves.
  3. The scientific binomial name for a coyote is Canis latrans.
  4. There are currently 19 recognized subspecies of coyotes.
  5. Coyotes can be found throughout North America.
  6. A coyote’s fur color varies by where it lives. Typically, it’s a mixture of gray, white, tan or brown colors.
  7. A male coyote on average will weigh between 18 and 44 pounds.
  8. A female coyote on average will weigh between 15 and 40 pounds.
  9. A coyote can run up to 40 miles per hour.
  10. A male coyote is called a boar, a female coyote is called a bitch and a young coyote is called a pup.
  11. A female coyote typically has a litter between 3 and 12 pups. The typical gestation period (conception to birth) for coyotes is 63 days. Both the male and female participate in rearing (taking care of) their pups.
  12. Coyotes are monogamous, meaning they only have one mate during their entire lifetime.
  13. The largest coyote on record was a male that was killed by a hunter in 1937. It weighed 75 pounds and had a nose to tail length of 4 feet and 11 inches.
  14. Coyotes are carnivorous and typically prey on birds, deer, fish, hares, rabbits and other small to medium sized mammals.
  15. Coyotes hunt in both a group (a pack) and on their own.
  16. Coyotes are known to kill livestock, such as sheep and domesticated pets (cats and dogs).
  17. Coyotes are very vocal, and they’ll make noises (howl) during the nighttime to communicate with other coyotes.
  18. It’s rare for a coyote to attack a human and there are only two confirmed cases of a human death caused by a coyote.
  19. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has the conservation status for coyotes at least concern.
  20. If you see an animal running and you don’t know if it’s a dog or coyote, just look at the tail. Dogs will run with their tails up and coyotes run with their tails down.

Additional Resources with Coyote Facts

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