20895 ACE Language (Yr 6) Structures and Language Features

Coyote (Canis latrans)
Resource sheet
The coyote is a member of the dog family. Its name means
’barking dog’ and it is related to the jackals of Asia, Africa
and Europe, to grey and red wolves and to domestic dogs.
Coyotes howl at night to communicate and to keep other
males away. This distinctive sound causes fear for some,
while other people refer to it affectionately as ’the song of
the west’.
Description
This small mammal is about the size and shape of a collie dog with a round, bushy tail
which is held out. It becomes bushier and more horizontal to display aggression.
Coyotes living in valleys or deserts weigh about 10 kilograms and are light grey or tan with
a black-tipped tail. Mountain coyotes are larger (22 kilograms) with darker, thicker fur
much prized by hunters, especially in winter when it is longer and silkier. Their coats are
often almost white underneath and some have a white-tipped tail.
Coyote have five digits on their forefeet and four on their hind feet. They are ’digitigrade’,
which means they walk with only their toes on the ground.
Distribution and habitat
Coyotes are found throughout North America from Alaska in the west to New England in
the east and south through to Mexico. They have been steadily extending their territory
and have been sighted in Canada and in Florida too.
Although their natural habitat is grasslands, coyotes move to where there is food. They dig
their own den or may modify that of another animal. They usually range over an area of
about 25–30 square kilometres. Mountain coyotes may need both a winter and a summer
hunting ground.
Food and hunting
Coyotes are very adaptable animals and have a varied diet. They will eat almost anything,
but mostly mice, rabbits, squirrels, fish, insects, berries and even reptiles. Poultry, sheep
and even deer are killed by coyotes. They will eat both fresh and spoiled foods and even
the desert’s unpalatable coyote melons. They find what water they can or they sometimes
dig for it. They also get moisture from what they eat.
These clever animals are excellent hunters either alone or in small packs. Their sight,
hearing and sense of smell are very good and they have great stamina. They can track and
stalk their quarry for 20–30 minutes, then strike when it is exhausted.
Breeding
A female has one litter of 3–9 pups in spring, when food is more plentiful. The pups are
born blind. They suckle for 5–7 weeks and remain in the den until they start hunting at
6–10 weeks. The male brings food, but is not permitted to enter the den. The pups are
independent by 12 months and leave.
Despite sustained efforts to eradicate them by agriculturalists and biologists, fearing either
for their stock or for other native species, coyotes have survived. This appears unlikely to
change given the nature of these adaptable, resourceful animals.
Australian Curriculum English – Language: Text structure and organisation (Year 6) www.ricpublications.com.au R.I.C. Publications ®
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