The coyote is a member of the dog family,
similar in appearance to a medium size shepherd. They weigh between
20 and 30 pounds; have pointed ears, a narrow muzzle, and bushy
tail. Males tend to be larger than females. Pelts are usually
grayish-brown, but occasionally black, often with a patch of white
chest hair. When running, coyotes usually hold their tails at "half
mast." Coyote tracks are narrower and more elongated than dog
tracks.
The scientific name of the coyote, Canis
latrans, literally means barking dog. Coyotes exhibit a variety of
vocalizations. They can bark like dogs, though the sounds most
often heard are shrill yips and howls. Howling is often a group
effort, perhaps beginning as a simple howl, but quickly increasing
in intensity to a series of group howls and high-pitched barks.
Howling may function as a greeting between coyotes or as a
territorial claim between groups.
The coyote, once strictly a western species,
now occurs throughout the eastern United States. Coyotes began
expanding their range into the Southeast in the 1960s, reaching
northwestern Florida in the 1970s. In a 1981 survey, coyotes were
reported in 18 of Florida's 67 counties. A similar survey in 1988
reported coyotes in 48 counties. They are most numerous in northern
Florida, but their numbers appear to be increasing state- wide. The
eventual occupation of the entire state is likely.
This cache has been placed with permission for
the CREW Trust and the South Florida Water Management
District