Intelligent is not a strong enough word to describe coyotes.
They are nature’s tacticians. They scheme, use teamwork, feign friendliness, yet are utterly ruthless. The Native American saying about them is very accurate:
“Never trust a coyote”. They are the definition of cunning.
Oddly enough, east of the Mississippi, there have been confirmed sightings of what are called “Coy-Wolves”, a hybrid coyote and wolf. Typically wolves with kill coyotes, but somehow they crossbred. Wolves have about the same raw intelligence as a five year old child, or maybe more. And combined with the attributes of a coyote, you have a dangerous thing.
The Dept of Interior, in a rare bit a clarity, has issued a “shoot on sight” order for Coy-Wolves, as they have been described as “the canine equivalent of a leopard” as far as their risk to humans.
The *only* means to confront or engage a coyote should be with bullets. Unless you typically carry a good quality Katana with you.
Wonder if they cross-bred due to a wolf hybrid mating with a coyote?
The Red Wolf is going extinct in the East because it prefers to breed with coyotes.
There’s nothing stranger than nature...
Cunning is a good word to describe coyotes.
I’ve read some on coy-wolves and seen pictures. I believe they were blamed for the death of a woman in the NE either hiking or jogging a few years back but I could be mistaken.
They sound like an animal that a bounty would be justified on but the animal enviros would go ballistic.