Coyote
Last Update/Review: June 3, 2002
Canis latrans
In size, coyotes are between the wolf and fox; adult coyotes weigh 10 to 23 kilograms. They are usually grey to reddish grey, with black markings on the back and tail. Underparts are light. Ears are long and the muzzle is slender and pointed. The tail is bushy, and is usually carried low and close to the hind legs.
Coyotes mate in February or March. For a den, the female enlarges a rodent, rabbit or badger hole. Young are borne in April or May in litters of five to seven pups. Both parents help feed the young until they are about two months old. The family unit then leaves the den and travels together until fall. At that time, groups tend to split up, with individuals hunting alone or in pairs. Coyotes seldom hunt in packs but occasionally several may gather at carcasses or other communal feeding sites.
Coyotes are opportunists. Hares and mice are the most important prey species, but the carrion of livestock and other large mammals is often the most important food source in some areas, especially in winter. Blueberries and other fruits are heavily used in season.
Long considered a pest by many landowners, the coyote has survived repeated attempts to eliminate it. Today, it is still the most numerous member of the dog family in Alberta. The coyote has been able to adapt to many of the changes brought about by man. It occurs in all life zones in Alberta.
Trapping
The coyote regularly ranks in the top three of the most valuable furbearers in Alberta each year, mainly as a result of the demand for its thick long fur. In 2000-2001, Alberta trappers produced 24 861 coyote pelts at a mean price of $29.18 per pelt, or a total production for the province of $725 444.
Coyotes are trapped from early October to late February, depending on the region. Coyote pelts are in their prime from mid-November to early January.
