Wily Coyotes

In the old cartoons, the Road Runner always outwitted the hapless Wile E. Coyote. In reality, though, coyotes are far from hapless. In fact, despite all the efforts to eradicate them, coyotes (Canis latrans) have successfully infiltrated just about every corner of North America.

Prior to the 1900s, coyotes were found primarily in the prairie and desert regions of the western United States and Mexico. Native to North America, they thrived in rugged conditions, including dry grasslands, semiarid sagebrush, and even in the deserts. Now, their range extends from Alaska (near the Arctic Circle), through western and southern Canada, throughout the 48 contiguous states, southward through Mexico, and into Central America, as far south as Panama. This rapid expansion is believed