Coyote.

Coyote. Class Mammalia Order Carnivora Family Canidae Genus Canis Species latrans Range North America and parts of Central America. Habitat Forests, grasslands, and brush. Size Length: 104 to 132 cm (41 to 52 in) Weight: 7 to 20 kg (15 to 44 lb). Feeding Habits Coyotes are carnivores; their diet includes small mammals, birds, and carrion. Coyotes typically hunt at night, sometimes in packs. Offspring Female coyotes give birth to a litter of about six pups after a two-month gestation period. The pups are weaned after five to six weeks. Life Span About 15 years in captivity; about seven years in the wild. Did You Know At night, coyotes often let out a distinctive, mournful howl. Coyotes have expanded their range from western North America across much of the continent. Coyotes have adopted the wolf's behavior of hunting in packs, particularly in regions once inhabited by wolves. The coyote is sometimes called the brush wolf, prairie wolf, or burrowing dog. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.