The Coyote’s Habitat, Environment, And Prefered Climate

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Many folks who live anywhere near the forest have seen and heard plenty of coyotes before. Although shy around humans, they will appear if it means that they can get their paws on some scraps of food, so they aren’t too rare. 

They’ve seen our homes plenty, but we rarely ever get to see theirs! So what kind of habitats do coyotes live in? 

Coyotes live in many different areas, but they prefer open areas such as deserts and prairies. Still, they often live in forests as well. Coyotes often make dens in crevices or shrubbery to protect their youth until they are weaned. 

What Is The Coyote’s Habitat?

As discussed earlier, coyotes prefer open habitats such as prairies and grasslands. These habitats allow them to run very freely and hunt the small game, insects, and plant life that they prefer as food.

As living around humans has become more prevalent, coyotes have had to adapt to living in a number of different environments, and can now be found in a number of habitats they originally would never have occupied. This includes forests, suburban neighborhoods, urban areas, and other places where humans live. 

Coyotes, as stated above, make their dens in crevices, shrubbery, caves, and other small, covered openings that can protect their litter while they are too young to protect themselves. 

What Kind Of Climate Do Coyotes Prefer?

Coyotes can live in a number of climates and can thrive in anywhere from cold weather to deserts. This adaptability makes them great at surviving in any situation and has helped them as technology and humanity have encroached on their territories over the years. 

That being said, coyotes do have a number of preferences. They like a drier area if possible, as they will hole up and stay dry in the rain. The rain makes hunting more difficult for them, so saving energy and staying dry is for the best. 

They also do tend to lean towards living in cooler environments, as the heat can sap their energy as well. However, if they must, they will live anywhere. This doesn’t go for all coyotes, as many live in the desert. Eastern coyotes prefer the cold, and western coyotes live in a more diverse climate. 

How Do Coyotes Adapt To Their Environment?

There are a number of ways coyotes adapt to their environment, but two stick out. 

Firstly, coyotes will change their diets based entirely upon what’s available in the area. Once omnivores, over generations coyotes have become an animal that will eat anything, including small game, insects, plant life, garbage, human gardens, and anything else they can get their paws on. 

The second way coyotes adapt is that they will change their sleep schedules based on if humans are around or not.

If humans are around, coyotes are mostly nocturnal, as that is when it is safest for them to come out. However, if there are no humans in their habitat, they will live and hunt during the day, when prey is more abundant. 

Can You Find Coyotes In The Desert, Grasslands, Forests, Cities, and Cold Regions?

There are a number of different habitats that coyotes can be found in!

Coyotes in the Desert

You can certainly find coyotes in the desert. This is especially true in the western United States, where coyotes can often be found in warmer habitats. In the desert, coyotes can hunt small game-like snakes, insects, rodents, and other desert critters, as well as being safe from many larger predators and humans. 

The desert is one of the preferred habitats of the coyote, due to its flatness and access to small game. There are also plenty of small crags and caves that coyotes can create dens in.

Coyotes in the Grasslands

Grasslands, much like deserts, are the preferred habitat for coyotes. They are similar to deserts in their flatness and the abundance of small game such as snakes, mice, rabbits, insects, and other prey coyotes can hunt down. 

Coyotes in Forests

Forests are probably the habitat you would assume is most common for coyotes, but in fact, forests are only something coyotes have adapted to more recently.

The problem with forests is that coyotes can have a hard time hunting game in them as they are built for sprints over grasslands and not hunting through dense forests. 

There is also larger game in forests, and coyotes don’t normally hunt in packs, making taking down larger animals like deer a challenge. There are also potential predators in some American forests, such as wolves. 

However, coyotes do live in forests, especially smaller woods (such as in suburban developments). 

Coyote in Cities

As we’ve gone over a few times, coyotes are an animal that can adapt to any environment. They don’t love living in cities, but if a city was built near their home, coyotes will use it as a food source, becoming a nocturnal scavenger rather than a daytime hunting animal. 

Still, cities are the least preferred of coyote habitats, and it is rarer to find them here than anywhere else. 

Coyotes in the Cold

Coyotes can be found in the cold, often living in the northeastern US or southeastern Canada. However, too cold isn’t good for them. Between 20 and 50 degrees, Fahrenheit is ideal.

Can You Find Coyotes In All of the US?

Coyotes can be found throughout the contiguous United States and in Alaska as well, but not in Hawaii. They are originally native to the western 2/3rds of the US but expanded drastically over time. 

Where Else In The World Do Coyotes Exist?

Coyotes are also common in much of Canada, as well as Mexico, Central America, and South America. They are an animal that moves often and adapts to any environment, so they have naturally spread out over time. 

Are Coyotes Losing Their Habitat?

Although they can adapt to many situations, coyotes are still suffering from overdevelopment over their habitats. As humans expand, it becomes more difficult for coyotes to live in the areas they used to, or even live at all. This is even more true when humans perceive coyotes as a threat. 

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