Coyotes

1
Coyotes

• By
• Kaitlyn Smith
• October 2008

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Life Cycle

• Pairs stay together 1 year - sometimes for life
• Mates in later winter or early spring
• Den for nesting
• Builds den
• Meets father first time - first lesson to hunt
• Born blind, eyes open two weeks later
• Mother protects for about 1 year
• Live 15 years in wild

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Habitat/Shelter

• North America
• Middle West, Northeastern US
• Alaska, Canada, Central America
• Grasslands, woodlands
• Farm, deserts, mountains, prairies
• Ranches, towns, cities
• Rocky crevices, logs
• Find abandoned den of badger or fox
• Takes den
• Den keeps them dry

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Diet

• Carnivorous
• Prairie dogs, mice, rabbits
• Insects, berries, nuts
• Deer, elk, snake, birds
• Grasshoppers, chickens, lamb, garbage
• One acts like decoy while other stays hidden
• Usually hunt at night
• Hunt with badgers
• Drinks mothers milk

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Adaptations

• Suited bodies to run fast
• Tail helps keep it balance while turning
• Hearing excellent
• Can leap 12 feet to catch mice
• Run with tail between legs
• 2 feet tall, 3 feet long
• Yellowish-gray, brownish-yellow, grayish brown,
  reddish flanks
  
• Black leather like nose
• 42 teeth

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Fun and Unusual Facts

• Lived on Great Plains when Lewis and Clark
  explored
  
• Navajo called little brother
• Related to Wolves, Jackal, and Dog
• Other name canis meaning barking dog
• Enemies are wolves, bears, cougar, and bobcats
• Human can help by not trapping them

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Works Cited

• Coyote. World Book. 2006. 2006.
• Lepthien, Emilie U. Coyotes. Chicago Children
  Press, 1993.
  
• NatureWorks. Update N/A. New Hampshire Public
  Television. 30 Sept. 2008 atureworks/nw4.htm.