The Canis Latrans a.k.a. The Trickster

A Frequent Tucson Sight

One of the most amazing animals in North America is also one of the most common. It inhabits mountain regions, deserts, rural communities, and even downtown areas. It is quite likely second only to humans in its ability to rapidly adapt itself to any conditions or surroundings. It sometimes attacks and kills our family pets, and sometimes attacks and breeds with them. It doesn't appear to genuinely fear humans, but rather it has a controlled, regulated respect, and a profound understanding of them. Over the centuries, as we'll see later, it has been known by many names – and been bestowed with many abilities, traits, and demeanors. Today, it's sometimes called a prairie wolf, swift wolf, or a brush wolf, and its scientific name is Canis latrans. But the name everyone knows it by, its name du jour, if you will, is simply, the coyote. That's pronounced: ki'o-t, or ki-o'te. The word "coyote" is taken from the Náhuatl word cóyotl.

Many reference materials still state that this mammal is native only to western North America. The fact is, however, that it has successfully expanded its range to cover essentially all of North America. The crafty coyote is even a common sight in New York City's decidedly urban Central Park. Of late, visitors to the park are getting a small taste of what Tucson residents have been getting a steady diet of since the city was founded – and before. The coyote's current range includes everything north to Alaska, and south through Central America. It reaches from the Pacific beaches to the right coast.

At one time, larger, more dangerous predators than the coyote such as wolves, mountain lions, and bears limited the coyote's habitable range. Further limiting the range were uninhabitable terrain and professional trapping and hunting. These same factors kept the coyote's numbers reasonable, and also gave it a basic fear of humans. Coyotes are still considered to be one of the most difficult animals to hunt or trap because of that fear, which is associated with the sight of humans, and human scent.

Wolves were almost entirely eliminated, though there are some (3)reintroduction programs in progress today that are enjoying a degree of success. Mountain lion populations were reduced significantly, and the remaining populations of these formidable predators are rather strictly contained. Finally, the fur trade rapidly declined almost to the point of non-existence as a result of the aggressive anti-fur campaigns instigated by animal rights movements and organizations. No market for fur meant the end of the professional taking of the animals for their pelts. Since the loss of these controls, their numbers have soared, and they now live, essentially, everywhere in North America, as well as parts of Central America.

Coyotes are known to be solitary hunters, though they will also hunt as mated pairs, but they have also been seen in increasing numbers banning together to hunt as a pack. Pack hunting, a technique which has always been the preferred method of the larger wolf, is apparently being adopted by the coyote – further testament to its adaptability. Even as pack hunters, the coyote's exploits will likely never achieve the notoriety of the wolf's escapades. Wolves will hunt and take down very large prey, up to and including full grown cattle. Generally speaking, coyotes tend to confine their hunting to smaller animals. Their most noteworthy destructive interactions with humans would surely be: #1 - killing sheep; #2 - killing domestic animals (pets); and #3 - breeding with domestic dogs. The offspring of such a cross-species mating are called "coydogs." Coydogs are considered to be exceptionally problematic for humans as they possess the wild animal skills and instincts of the coyote, but have the comfort of human contact usually reserved for the family dog. This accidental sub-species is relatively new, and so there is not much data on it. It seems, however, that these coydogs prefer to be in packs, and comfortably inhabit areas that are bordering and overlapping human habitats.

:: :: :: Next Page >

<< Return to Animal Articles