Coyotes, adaptable canids native to North America, inhabit a vast range of environments across the continent. Their distribution extends from Panama in the south to Alaska and most of Canada in the north. These animals demonstrate remarkable flexibility, thriving in diverse habitats including forests, grasslands, deserts, and even urban and suburban areas. This ability to adjust to various landscapes has allowed coyotes to expand their presence significantly since the 1700s.
What Are Baby Coyotes Called?
Baby coyotes are called pups. They typically weigh between 0.44 and 1.10 pounds (200 to 500 grams). At birth, coyote pups are blind and deaf, with their eyes and ears closed. They are covered in a fine, dense coat of fur, which is often darker than that of adult coyotes. Their physical characteristics, such as short muzzles and dainty feet, give them a resemblance to domestic dog puppies.
The Early Life of Coyote Pups
Coyote pups are born in dens, which serve as a safe nursery. These dens can be existing burrows enlarged by the coyotes, or they can be dug by the coyote parents themselves. Dens are typically located in sheltered areas like hollowed-out tree stumps, rock outcrops, or under dense cover, sometimes even near human structures.
A female coyote gives birth to one litter per year in the spring, after a gestation period of 60 to 65 days. Litter sizes commonly range from four to seven pups, though they can vary from one to as many as nineteen, depending on factors like food availability and population density. For the first few weeks, pups rely on their mother’s milk.
Pups open their eyes 10 to 14 days after birth and start walking by 20 days old. At three to four weeks of age, they venture outside the den, exploring their surroundings. Around this time, their diet progresses from milk to regurgitated, semi-solid food brought by the parents.
Both coyote parents actively participate in raising the pups. The mother provides nursing and care within the den, while the father hunts and brings food. As the pups grow, both parents contribute to feeding them solid food and teaching them survival skills. Pups learn hunting techniques, social behaviors, and vocalizations from their parents and littermates through observation and play.
Pups typically stay in the den for about six weeks before they begin traveling short distances with adults. By the end of summer, they spend more time away from their parents, practicing hunting on their own or with siblings. While some young coyotes may disperse from their family unit as early as 6 to 9 months of age, females may remain with their mother’s pack longer.