Coyotes live in every county of North Carolina — odds are, if you haven’t come across one, someone you know has.
The predator weighs 20-45 pounds and feeds opportunistically, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. While the coyote prefers meat, it also eats fruit, pet food and remains.
According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, coyotes:
- Have pointed, erect ears and slender snouts
- A long, bushy, black-tipped tail
- Are typically dark gray but can be blonde, red or even black
- Vary in size, but average about 2 feet tall at the shoulder and 4 feet long
Falyn Owens, a wildlife biologist with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, said while you may mistake a coyote for a wolf, it almost definitely isn’t. The wolf population in North Carolina is small and heavily monitored…