The Coyote (Canis latrans) is a native New Brunswick member of the Canidae family. It is carnivore which lives throughout our province. It was not present in the province before the mid-1960s when it slowly moved in from Quebec and Maine. According to a 1974 map found in 'The Mammals of Canada', the range of the coyote in North and Central America included most of Mexico, all of the US except the southeast and southern New England, southern Canada from southern Quebec westward to the west coast and northward to include all of Yukon and most of Alaska.
I clearly remember the first coyotes I heard in New Brunswick. It was in 1970 and my husband and I were camping in deep woods near McAdam. After dark on a cold, clear night we heard an unusual sound. It quickly became louder and sounded like maniacal laughter or human whaling. We were confused at first about what it was but soon realized it had to be coyotes. It was a blood-curdling sound but at the same time very intriguing. We had spent much of our lives in or near the woods but that was the first time we had heard the unmistakable sound. From the 1970s on the population of coyotes has steadily increased in New Brunswick to where they have normal population trends of rises and falls depending on the carrying capacity of the habitat and food resources. It is common for us to hear them howling at night on the outskirts of Fredericton.
I recently read in the news that in October, 2020, a woman near Fredericton was walking her two dogs in a wooded area near the city when she was surrounded by 3 or 4 coyotes. As she tried to fend them off one attacked one of her dogs. Fortunately her dogs were leashed. She called 911 and fought off the one coyote which had one of her dogs in its mouth. The coyotes had run away by the time help arrived. Her dog survived but the woman was badly shaken. Another incident is worse but none-the-less needing to be reported. In 2009 a female singer from Toronto was visiting Cape Breton and was attacked by two coyotes while hiking the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. She was alone and could not fight off both animals. Other hikers came along, called for help and chased off the coyotes. Unfortunately the victim died later in hospital. Both of these incidents are unusual but serious.
The Canidae family has 3 members that live in New Brunswick, the timber wolf, the coyote (brush wolf) and the red fox. Other Canidae members which live in Canada but not New Brunswick include the Arctic Fox, the Grey Fox and the Swift Fox. The Timber Wolf (Canis lupus) was extirpated from New Brunswick in the 1800s but has recently moved back in small numbers in the north of the province.
The coyote resembles a 'small, shy German Shepherd' although its bone structure is lighter. It has a bushy coat and a long bushy tail which droops downward. Its colour is a mixed, gray, beige, tan and black. The muzzle, dorsal aspect of the ears, and forelegs are usually a tan colour. The throat and belly are white. The undercoat on the body is beige but the guard hairs are black making a dark dorsal stripe and mottled flanks. The same colouration goes down the tail ending with a black tip. The black guard hairs make a dark cross on the shoulders. There is a heavy moult in June making the animal look more slender in its summer pelage.
The coyote is 115 to 135 cm (45 to 53 inches) long and the average weight is about 13.2 kg (29 lbs). Males are larger than females. The coyote has a different structure from the wolf. As well as being smaller, it has a much narrower and more pointed muzzle. The nose pad is 2.5 cm (1 inch) or less in diameter, a good diagnostic anatomical feature. When the animal is running the coyote carries its tail low but the wolf carries its tail high.
The coyote is typically an animal of open country. It is a very intelligent, adaptable species and has learned to live close to civilization. Coyotes are a very social animal, living in packs. Each pack is usually comprised of the male and female and the pups. Sometimes in winter the packs become larger. Breeding usually takes place in February and gestation lasts 60 to 63 days. Litter size is 5 to 7 pups. Sexual maturity is reached in one year. Both parents care for the young. Litters are born and raised in burrows dug in the ground by the female. See the photos below where we found a coyote den dug in a washed out bank on one of the islands upriver from Fredericton. The opening was about 45 cm (18 inches) across and more than that in height. The cavity went deep into the earth and was about a metre (3 feet) in height. There was a large pile of dirt near the opening. There were many coyote tracks near the opening but no sign of young (October). The young had left with the adults and were likely in training. The pups are very playful and spend much time outside the den during their development. According to the literature, the den is 2 to 3 metres (6 to 9 feet) in length and 1 metre (3 feet) underground.
As we know, this species is good at hunting in teams. They have learned that there is more success by teamwork. Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, mainly groundhogs, small rodents, and hares, but they also eat birds, eggs, frogs, fish, crayfish, insects, carrion and plants. They sometimes kill deer when hunting in packs and single coyotes kill many deer fawns by running them down.
Coyotes are very agile. They can jump up to 4 metres (14 feet) and run up to 56 km per hour (35 miles an hour). They are good swimmers and can live anywhere from mountainous terrain to the open prairies. They are mainly active at night but can be active at dawn or dusk. The bitch often returns year after year to the same territory to whelp. Some coyotes travel over large distances. One tagged individual was recovered 650 km (400 miles) from where it had been tagged. They have been known to live 18 years but the average lifespan is probably less than 9 years.
Coyotes are very vocal. Their calls are a series of yelps followed by an odd sounding howl. They howl usually at night but also in the morning. Often the pack sits in a circle prior to going on a hunt and the yips, yaps and howls appear to be related to the expectations of the hunt. They have an acute sense of hearing and smell but their sight is less acute. They use sight mainly to pick up movement. Coyotes will chase foxes and bobcats. The bobcats usually 'lose' them by climbing trees. Foxes appear to enjoy outsmarting the coyote.
Coyotes can be hunted and trapped in New Brunswick. The season is from October 1 to the end of February and there is no limit to the number taken. Coyote fur has become more desirable in late years with the popularity of Canada Goose coats. It is coyote fur that is used to rim the hoods. In 2017, 1652 coyote pelts were exported from New Brunswick with a total value of $92,545.
Are coyotes dangerous to people? Considering the two incidents cited at the beginning of this post, they can be. However, the chances of getting attacked by a coyote are extremely rare. But it seems that the urbanized coyotes can become a problem. Humankind should avoid all contact with them. Garbage should be properly disposed of. Dogs should be leashed and cats should be kept indoors. All feeding of wildlife should be prohibited. When a habituated coyote appears to be too close/interested in humans, Natural Resources personnel should be notified and they will remove the individual. Coyotes are intelligent and can easily learn that humans can be a source of food.
What should you do if threatened by a coyote? Sources say that you should not run. They suggest you yell, wave your arms and make yourself look as large and fierce as possible. Maintain eye contact and throw something at it, if possible. Carry a whistle or dog spray. If it continues to approach, back slowly away preferably towards other humans or buildings.
The scientific name of the coyote, Canis latrans, means 'barking dog'. It is well named since that is the primary means of our knowing there is a pack in our area. They are more frequently heard than seen. The common name, 'coyote', is much older. It is of Spanish derivation and comes from the original Aztec word for it, coyotl. It is indeed an interesting species that has been around a very long time. Intelligent and resourceful - it will remain a long time yet!
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