The Clever Coyote

Wile E. Coyote the infamous cartoon character was portrayed as a cunning and clever coyote, because he was always having to scheme in his attempts at tricking The Road Runner. Real American coyotes are also clever due to the fact that they are always having to adapt to their ever changing habitat and landscape. Members of the dog family, they once lived primarily in open prairies and deserts, but now roam forests and mountains, as well. They have even been spotted in larger cities, and are now found over most of North America. Their diet consists of almost anything, such as rabbits, rodents, insects, snakes, fruit, grass, and even deer. Because they sometimes kill sheep, cows, livestock and family pets, many farmers and people regard them as a nuisance. They have keen vision and a strong sense of smell. They can run up to 40 miles an hour. ( With that said it's hard to believe Wile E. Coyote had such a hard time catching The Road Runner. )  They usually form packs with strong family groups for more effective hunting. In spring, females den and give birth to litters of three to twelve pups. Both parents care for and protect their young. The pups are able to hunt on their own by the following fall. Coyotes are smaller than wolves. They communicate with a distinctive call, which at night can sound eerie and be heard from a far distance. No matter how others feel about the coyote, I personally was always secretly rooting for Wile E. Coyote. and find wild coyotes to be a beautiful animal in their own right, who can't help that their habitat has become smaller, in a world that has grown ever more crowded.