Coyote Population by Country 2024

Coyotes are a type of wild dog that's smaller than a wolf. The average size of a coyote is two feet high at the shoulder and, including the tail, and is approximately 4 feet long.

It's estimated that there are possibly up to 10 million coyotes in the world. Although as many as half a million are killed each year to keep the population down, the global coyote population is growing. In fact, research found that even if humans killed off 75% of the coyote population annually for 50 years, it wouldn't be enough to threaten the species with extinction.

Even though they are dominant carnivores, coyotes are beneficial to their native ecosystems. Coyotes help control the population of other species, such as skunks, raccoons, and foxes.

While coyotes are typically not dangerous for humans, they can be a threat to small pets and livestock. Coyotes are not considered rabies carriers and account for less than one percent of all reported rabies cases.

Coyotes are native to North and South America. Coyotes can be found roaming the mountains, swamps, forests, plains, deserts, and tropical rainforests of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The word coyote originates from Mexican Spanish and the Nahuatl word coyoti. So, it makes sense that coyotes are found in Mexico. The subspecies found in Mexico tend to be smaller than their northern coyote cousins.

Nearly every 19 coyote subspecies can be found in every US state other than Hawaii. In Alaska, coyotes are native to the Kenai Peninsula, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, and the Copper River Valley.

Canada has a large population of coyotes that mostly stick to aspen parkland and short- and mixed-grass prairie in the three prairie provinces. Some researchers have found that coyotes in Eastern Canada have some wolf DNA.

In 2013, coyotes were spotted in Panama for the first time, having migrated south from Costa Rica. Coyotes are now thriving in Panama, thanks in large part to the species' remarkable adaptability.