Coyote
CoyoteCoyoteCoyoteCoyote

Coyote

Canis latrans

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
129 Verified records at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The coyote (/kaɪ(j)oʊt(i)/, KY-(y)oh-t(ee)) (Canis latrans) is a species of canine also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, and brush wolf. It is native to North America, and it is smaller than its close relative, the gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecological niche as the golden jackal does in Eurasia but the coyote is generally larger. The coyote is listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, due to its wide distribution and abundance throughout North America. The species is versatile, able to adapt to and expand into environments modified by humans; urban coyotes are common in many cities. The coyote was sighted in eastern Panama (across the Panama Canal from their home range) for the first time in 2013. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Coyote sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 129 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Red Fox
LC Endemic

Red Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes vulpes

5–10% · With luck
Gray Fox
LC Endemic

Gray Fox

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Insufficient data
American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

70–80% · Very likely
Common Raccoon
LC Endemic

Common Raccoon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Procyon lotor

10–20% · With luck
Northern River Otter
LC Endemic

Northern River Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lontra canadensis

10–20% · With luck
🐒 No photo available
LC

Striped Skunk

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Mephitis mephitis

5–10% · With luck
Bobcat
LC Endemic

Bobcat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Lynx rufus

5–10% · With luck
Eastern Spotted Skunk
VU Endemic

Eastern Spotted Skunk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Spilogale putorius

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
20–30
Feb
20–30
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
20–30
Jul
30–40
Aug
30–40
Sep
20–30
Oct
20–30
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
60–70%
2 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
3 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
50–60%
4 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
40–50%
5 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
6 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
7 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
8 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
9 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
10 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
11 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
12 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
13 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
14 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
15 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
16 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
17 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
18 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
19 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
20 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
21 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
22 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
23 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
24 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
25 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
26 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
27 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
28 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
29 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
30 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
31 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
32 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
33 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
34 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
35 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
37 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
38 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
39 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
40 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
41 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
42 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
43 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
44 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
45 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
46 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
47 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
48 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
49 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
50 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
51 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
52 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
53 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
54 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
55 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
56 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
57 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Coyote in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

About 21% of wildlife watchers report a Coyote sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 129 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Coyote in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Coyote in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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