How to identify Broward County coyote tracks

Have you ever spent the night in the country? Have you ever stepped out on your front porch at night and heard the eerie howling of an animal coming from the thick darkness of the woods? If you have, the animal you are probably hearing is the coyote. This dog-like creature is in the same family as foxes, wolves, jackals, and dogs. When you’re listening to them howl, you’re hearing their conversation. Howling is the way pack members communicate with one another.



When Broward County coyotes are howling, they are conveying their location while out on hunts. Along with their noisy vocal chords, they are also known to be quite smart. They have heightened senses of sight, smell, and hearing. These things make the coyote one of the most intelligent creatures in the wild.

While Florida coyotes resemble many medium-sized dogs, they are more like wolves, even though they are significantly smaller than their cousins. Most coyotes live in North America. Their fur ranges from gray to white to tan or even brown. It depends—in large part—where they live. They can be found roaming through forests, mountains, plains and even in deserts.

Since people are continuously developing new land and clearing trees, Broward County coyotes are becoming more accustomed to humans. Coyotes prefer to be alone, but they will hunt in packs, chasing down deer or other animals for dinner. They are nocturnal, so that is why they are more commonly heard at night.

While they eat mostly small game, they are omnivores. This means they not only eat meat, but they will also eat plant-based food.

Florida oyotes are considered menaces to farmers because they have been known to prey on smaller animals such as newborn calves or foals. While this is a pain, they can also help reduce the invasion of rodents such as mice and rats. While they can be a threat to domestic animals, coyotes can also mate with domestic dogs and produce offspring.

Broward County coyote tracks are oval-shaped like most in the canine family. They are typically about 2inches tall by 2inches wide. They have four toes with claws at the front. They are standard and easy to read in most cases. The soft padding of their feet is triangular with the back feet being marginally smaller than those on the front feet.

Coyotes run and walk in many ways, depending on their purpose. Sometimes they will only walk while other times they will lope or trot. If you’re out and you see tracks, look carefully because domestic canine tracks have often been confused with Broward County coyote tracks. If you find yourself wondering, remember that dog prints are typically less symmetrical and are more round with blunt nails.

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