File:Coyote in tall grass - DPLA - e700f54c2d77857d0d14e70227961ff0.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Carnivora; Family: Canidae; Genus: Canis; Genus species: Canis latrans. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 70-97 cm; Height: 45-53 cm; Weight: 11.5-15 kg; Identification: The coyote is buff-gray with brownish yellow parts. It has a white throat and belly, a black stripe down its back, and black patches on the forelegs and end of tail; Habitat: Prairies, open woodlands; Diet: Omnivore: rodents, rabbits, snakes, insects, carrion, fruit, berries, grasses, fish, frogs, crustaceans; Reproduction: Coyotes mate in the late winter months of January, February, and March. The gestation period is 63-65 days long, after which 5-10 pups are born. By the time they are seven months old, the pups have left to establish their own home ranges. The life expectancy for wild coyotes is 14.5 years; Social Structure: A breeding pair makes up a basic social unit. Packs may form under certain circumstances. For example, the cubs may delay their dispersal from their parents, remaining for an additional season to help raise the next year's offspring. These packs are often less stable than wolf packs; Behavior: Coyotes are the North American equivalent of Africa's jackals. They are highly adaptable, allowing them to expand their ranges in northern and eastern North America; Status: No special status; Interesting Facts: Coyotes can interbreed with domestic dogs. They are totally protected in 12 states; hunting and trapping of them is closely regulated in all other states and in Canada.