Wildlife

Coyotes weigh 22 to 33 pounds. Color varies in different parts of their ranges, but they are generally grizzled, tan-gray and black. The bushy tail is usually blackish above and pale tan underneath with a black tip.

Generally considered to be carnivores, coyotes are opportunists and will eat almost anything. Their diet includes hares, ground squirrels, marmots, mice, eggs, fish, insects, berries, and even young caribou and moose. Coyotes have been known to cooperatively work to tackle larger prey, but are usually solitary hunters. Additionally, coyotes will kill red foxes, as they compete for some of the same resources.

Breeding occurs February through March and the pups are born in April to May. Litter size is usually five to seven pups. Females typically produce a litter every year. The pups are weaned at five to seven weeks and will begin to hunt for themselves at around three months of age.

Resources:

Burt, William H. and Richard P. Grossenheider. 1980. Peterson field guide to mammals. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston Massachusetts.

Alaska Geographic Society. 1996. Mammals of Alaska: a comprehensive field guide from the publishers of Alaska geographic. The Alaska Geographic Society. Anchorage Alaska.

For more information, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's wildlife notebook pages.

Last updated: July 24, 2008