Coyote
The wild dog you're most likely to hear at a national park — a coyote, at home in the desert, the mountains, and the edges of towns.
Coyote at a glance
Canis latrans KAY-oh-tee (ky-YOH-tee both work); Canis latrans is KAY-niss LAY-tranz
- Type
- Mammal · canine
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Size
- About as tall as a kitchen counter is high when it stands — smaller than a German shepherd, with skinnier legs.
- Lifespan
- Around 6 to 8 years in the wild.
- Conservation
- Least concern
Eats mice, rabbits, lizards, insects, fruit, whatever it can find
Coyotes hunt alone or in twos, listening for a mouse under the grass and pouncing straight down on it. They also eat berries, so their scat is sometimes full of seeds.
Should you worry?
Coyotes almost always run from people. Give one room, never feed it, and keep small dogs close on a leash. A coyote that walks toward you doesn't want you — it wants food someone left out.
We heard the coyote before we ever saw one. It was almost dark at Joshua Tree, and the yipping came from somewhere past the campground: one voice, then what sounded like ten, then quiet. Big counted the seconds between the howls. Little wanted to know if it was coming closer. It wasn’t.
A coyote is a wild dog, smaller than it looks in the dark, with legs built for trotting all night. It will eat a mouse or a beetle or a fallen berry, whichever is easier that day. That is the whole trick of the coyote: it is not picky, so it lives almost everywhere, from the desert to the mountains to the weedy lot behind a gas station.
If you meet one on a trail, it will almost certainly leave before you do. The ones that don’t are usually the ones people have fed. So we don’t. We watch, we listen, and we let it go about its night.
Did you know?
- A coyote's yip-howl can sound like a whole pack when it's only one or two animals — the sound bounces and doubles.
- They can run about 40 miles an hour, faster than any human who has ever lived.
- Coyotes and badgers sometimes hunt together: the badger digs, the coyote chases whatever bolts out.
Common questions
Are coyotes dangerous to kids?
Almost never. Coyotes are shy and run from people. The rule is simple: don't feed them, don't corner them, and keep small pets on a leash near dusk.
What sound does a coyote make?
A high yip-yip-yip that rises into a howl, usually at dusk or after dark. One or two coyotes can sound like a whole crowd.
What do coyotes eat?
Mostly mice, rabbits, lizards, and insects, plus fruit and berries when they can get them. They eat whatever the season offers.
Where do coyotes live?
Almost everywhere in North America — deserts, mountains, forests, and the edges of cities. You can find them in most of the parks we've visited.