Emily Chan
Over the past century, coywolves have slowly taken over much of eastern North America. Coywolves inhabit the forests and parks around people’s neighborhoods.
They can even be spotted in cities. While most people may think that these creatures are just regular ol’ coyotes, they are actually the results of a coyote and wolf mating.
Coywolves have emerged only in the last 100 years or so. As hunting, deforestation, and poisoning have decreased the numbers of eastern wolves, the lack of available partners led them to start breeding with western coyotes and dogs to create the hybrid animal.
The first coywolf appeared in Ontario, Canada, around 1919. Today, wolf DNA has been found in “coyote” droppings as far south as Virginia.
The hybrid’s scientific name is Canis Iatrans var., and it weighs about 55 pounds more than a true coyote. It also has a larger jaw, a bushier tail, smaller ears, and longer legs.
The coywolf’s genetic makeup consists of the eastern wolf, western wolf, western coyote, and large breeds of domesticated dogs, such as Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherds. On average, coywolves are a quarter wolf and a tenth dog.
There are currently millions of coywolves across the eastern region of North America. Their climbing numbers may be due to the advantages they have over their parent species.
According to Roland Kays from North Carolina State University, coyotes do not like hunting in forests, but wolves prefer it. Coywolves are experts at hunting on open land and in heavily wooded areas.
“And even their cries blend those of their ancestors. The first part of a howl resembles a wolf’s (with a deep pitch), but this then turns into a higher-pitched, coyote-like yipping,” Dr. Kays told Smithsonian.
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