A North American wild dog, smaller than its close relative the grey wolf. It adapts well to places people have changed, and urban coyotes are now common in many cities. In 2013 one was seen across the Panama Canal for the first time.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?Can be
Attacks on people are uncommon and rarely serious, though coyotes have targeted small children.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Essentially nocturnal, though sometimes seen in daylight.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inNorth America, Central America
HabitatGrassland, Forest, Desert, Towns
ColoursGrey, Brown, Tan
SizeMedium
Length75–100 cm
Weight7–21 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives inpacks
Lives for10–14 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- North America, south into Central America as far as Panama.
Did you know
Has moved into towns, and urban coyotes are now common in many cities.
It is also called the American jackal, prairie wolf and brush wolf.
Often confused with
- Wolf
A coyote is smaller than a grey wolf, its close relative.
Compare side by side - Jackal
The coyote fills much the same niche in North America as the golden jackal does in Eurasia, but is generally larger.
Compare side by side
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