One
of the most dangerous animals in Pennsylvania is probably the Eastern
Coyote. Canis latrans var is
one of twenty subspecies of coyote, who in total live across nearly
entire North and Central America. The Eastern Coyote lives throughout
most of northeastern Pennsylvania and up through New
England. While I have never seen a coyote in the wild, i know I do
not want to. They are big enough to cause me, and certainly my dogs,
some distress, and what's worse is that they hunt in packs. If
they're hungry I'd be done for!
The
Eastern Coyote is roughly the size of a small-medium dog. They weigh
between thirty and forty-five pounds, and are usually between four
and five feet long including the tail, which itself is about a foot
in length. They are believed to mate for life with a single partner
in order to form their packs, and raise their pups together. One
couple will usually have a litter per year for life, with each litter
consisting of between five and seven pups, depending on how many
resources are available. Pups are usually born in April and
leave by October to find and form their own mates and packs.
Coyotes are mostly
opportunistic predators. Approximately eighty percent of their diet
originates from small rodents and lagomorphs, but they will also eat
insects, fruit and berries, fish, birds, snakes, and even garbage if
hungry enough. They are strong enough to kill many different kinds of
dogs and house cats, but are sometimes able to take down livestock if
they have a larger enough pack.
The coyote has very
few predators of its own. While they do have to worry a bit about
wolves and bears, humans pose the greatest threat to coyotes. We
usually will shoot them if they become a nuisance, or during certain
times of the year they become too populous and we feel we need to
take action. Other than that they live their lives and we live ours.
While
most people never come into contact with coyotes, we know what
their behavior is like. Most of us own dogs, and all of us
have met dogs before. Dogs and coyotes share many traits, but have
their differences as well. As long as we leave them alone
they won't bother us too much, and one of the most integral members
of the food chain will continue its job, eating, dutifully.
Sources:
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