Coyotes are surprisingly great jumpers. Their bodies are lightweight and fast! Coyotes are medium-sized members of the dog family, which includes wolves and foxes.
They are agile animals that only weigh between 25 to 35 pounds, like domestic dogs. Interestingly, coyotes can jump up to 6 feet in the air. However, they can scale walls, fences, and trees taller than 6 feet.
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Are Coyotes Good Jumpers?
Coyotes are excellent jumpers and commonly leap to get over obstacles. All canines are great jumpers, diggers, and climbers.
While they only jump 6 feet in the air, they can leap across long distances horizontally, especially when catching prey.
Coyotes are great jumpers and runners because of their endurance.
They can reach speeds of up to 43 miles per hour, but slow down to a steady pace when they are getting away from a predator. This helps them not grow tired quickly.
Can Coyotes Jump Over Fences?
Coyotes are notoriously known for jumping over fences. With a running head start, they use their back legs to spring up and jump over fences.
With fences less than 8 feet high, they sometimes don’t even touch the fence.
However, when a fence is higher than 8 feet, coyotes use their back legs to scale the fence and push themselves to the other side. This happens very quickly.
Will Coyotes Jump Over Fences To Eat Dogs?
Unless they are running from a larger predator, coyotes typically jump over fences and climb when they spot a vulnerable and easy food source. Sometimes, sadly this is a small dog left outside.
Small dog breeds don’t stand a chance against a coyote since coyotes are much larger and can easily corner small dogs.
Although domestic dogs have a bite force above 100 and coyotes only have a bite force of 88 PSI, their speed and quickness overpower domestic dogs.
Coyotes also jump over fences when they spot chickens and other birds. This is a common occurrence on farms and in rural areas.
What Attracts Coyotes To Your Yard?
Coyotes are driven by their instinct.
If they smell food in your backyard, they will travel there quickly. If your backyard has a fence, it might not be enough to keep them out and away from your cats or dogs.
Yards attract coyotes when there are plenty of animals and food sources that make up their diet. This includes fresh fruit, specifically berries, and small animals like gophers, squirrels, rats, mice, and opossums.
Coyotes are also opportunistic feeders, commonly consuming already dead and decaying animals. Meaning if an animal has died in your yard, remove it or you might have a visit from a hungry coyote.
How To Repel Coyotes
To get rid of or repel coyotes from your yard, you need to take away their food source. This isn’t always possible though since squirrels pretty much live anywhere.
Get rid of additional food sources like roadkill or decaying animals.
If possible, take your trash bins inside, and don’t leave any trash outside. They aren’t picky eaters, and like grizzly bears, will tear through the bag and make a mess.
If you see a coyote in your yard, make noise! Coyotes are generally afraid of humans or any animal larger than them.
The noise only works temporarily. It’s likely the same coyote, or another will return to your yard.
Sprinkle vinegar and cayenne pepper flakes or cayenne powder in your backyard. Wolf urine is also helpful but has a strong smell.
Another way to decrease the chances of a coyote wandering through your yard is to put all food inside, including pet food. Anything left out is like a magnet.
Coyote Jump Comparison To Other Animals
Coyote jumps are impressive, but what about when you compare them to other animals?
Are there animals within the same family that can leap higher?
Bobcats
Bobcats are medium-sized wild cats with fluffy fur. They live all over the United States but stay hidden by hunting during dusk, night, and dawn.
Bobcats are stealthy animals, like coyotes, and hunt at the same time. However, they jump faster!
On average, a bobcat can jump up 10-12 feet, more when they spring and jump horizontally.
Gray Wolves
Wolves, like coyotes, are also canines. They look similar to each other, but wolves are larger and have thicker fur.
Male gray wolves weigh between 70 and 145 pounds, while females weigh 60 to 100 pounds.
Despite their larger body weight, gray wolves leap 12 feet in the air and can run up to 35 mph. They jump when hunting for their prey and defending their pack.
Tigers
Tigers are fast runners, which they use to their advantage when charging up before leaping into the air. An average tiger can jump up to 16 feet in the air, which they use to attack and hunt down prey.
They can also leap 25-30 feet horizontally, putting distance between themselves and any predators.
Foxes
Foxes and cougars belong to the same family, but foxes are generally smaller. They are small to medium omnivorous mammals with flattened skulls and triangular ears. They are quick and light on their feet, which they use when leaping in the air.
Foxes rarely grow past 1 foot tall and usually weigh less than 20 pounds depending on the type. Foxes, like coyotes, can only jump 3-4 feet high, but they are excellent climbers and scale fences and trees to find food.
Closing Thoughts
Overall, coyotes are fast runners and high jumpers. They use their legs to push themselves up, easily climbing over a 14-foot fence.
Although coyotes can scale tall fences and walls, this doesn’t mean they are tall jumpers. On average, a coyote jumps 3-4 feet in the air.