Historically, the coyote ranged the great plains and western United States and south central Canada, and ranges as far south as Mexico and northern parts of areas of Central America. The coyote s tawny to rusty brown coat is peppered with dark gray, brown, and black. Black markings also occur around the eyes and on the tail, with the tip of the tail a solid black.
Coyotes unusually live in pairs but adopt cooperative hunting habits as needed.
Offspring disperse between the first autumn and the end of the first year. This is remarkable, because humans have long tried to destroy coyotes with poisons, traps, and guns. Reduced competition from declining gray wolf populations may have given coyotes greater opportunity for survival.