Coyotes

Updated 10/22/26

Meet Levi and Hans, our two male coyotes!

Levi is 13 and came to us from the California Living Museum in Bakersfield, California. He became accustomed to people early in life, a process called imprinting, which meant he couldn’t safely be released back into the wild. Hans is 12 and arrived as an orphan from Baker City, Oregon. Can you tell which one is which? Levi is the smaller of the two and has a slight limp from an old injury. 

Coyotes are members of the canine family and are found throughout most of North America. Here in Alaska, they’re found primarily on the Kenai Peninsula, in the Mat-Su Valley, and in the Copper River Valley. They typically weigh between 20 and 40 pounds, about the size of a medium-sized dog, and can live up to 10 years in the wild or 20 years in human care. 

Coyotes are incredibly adaptable. They’re omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. They’ll hunt small mammals, scavenge for food, and snack on berries and other vegetation. They’re also fast and athletic, capable of running around 30 miles per hour, sprinting even faster, and jumping and swimming with impressive skill! 

Unlike wolves, coyotes usually hunt alone or in pairs, although they sometimes team up with other coyotes to take down larger prey. They’re excellent communicators, and one of their most recognizable sounds is their howl. 

In the wild, coyotes howl for several reasons. They use howling to communicate with family members, to maintain contact when they’re spread out, announce their presence to other coyotes, and to help defend their territory.  

Here at the zoo, Levi and Hans have learned to howl in response to howling. We love joining in with them, and we think they’re having fun too! So, if you’re feeling brave, try giving them a howl and see if they answer. You might just start a coyote chorus! 

Coyotes also have a clever trick that makes their howls especially impressive. What sounds like a whole pack of coyotes may actually be just a few! They mix howls, yips, barks, and high-pitched squeals, often changing pitch and overlapping their calls. These different vocalizations create the illusion that many more coyotes are nearby than there really are. It’s a pretty effective way to make their family sound bigger and let other coyotes know they’re not alone! 

Coyotes have a complicated history with people. Although they’re common throughout their range and adapt well to cities and suburbs, they’ve often been targeted by poisoning, trapping, and aerial shooting. In Alaska, a bounty was placed on coyotes in 1942, when they were labeled “obnoxious animals” by the Game Commission. That bounty wasn’t lifted until 1969. Today, coyotes continue to face threats in some areas, even as their ability to adapt helps them survive alongside humans. 

And one last fun fact about Levi and Hans: sometimes, when they need medication, their keepers can hide it inside a hard-boiled egg! It’s a clever way to make medicine time a little more appealing. 

Thanks for visiting Levi and Hans! Keep your ears open, because you never know when these two might have something to say. And remember, if you hear coyotes howling in the wild, they might be sharing a message with their family or letting their neighbors know they’re around.