The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park recently announced the arrival of Magnus the Coyote pup!

Magnus was rescued, at approximately three-weeks-old, by Paws Animal Wildlife Sanctuary (PAWS) in Waterloo, South Carolina. With no sign of his mother or other pups around, PAWS took him in and began efforts to find a facility that would care for him.

An alternate home had to be found for Magnus because South Carolina law dictates he could not be released back into the wild. The Binghamton Zoo had the space and facilities for this species, so staff eagerly started making arrangements to bring Magnus to his new home.

Binghamton Zoo staff has been caring for the eight-week-old pup and socializing with him since his arrival at the facility on June 8th. Magnus will be an important part of the Zoo’s educational team. He will help tell the story of Coyotes in the wild and their relationship with their neighbors in the wild, the Red Wolves.

Magnus is currently going through a quarantine period and will not be on exhibit. Ultimately, he will become a resident of Binghamton Zoo’s ‘Wolf Woods’ exhibit.

Photo Credits: Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are a canid that can be found throughout Mexico, the United States, and Canada in habitats ranging from forests to deserts. Coyotes’ coats are colored grayish brown, reddish brown, and gray. They live about 10 years in the wild and 18 years in captivity.

Litter size ranges from 4-6 pups and it takes about 9 to 12 months for a Coyote to reach its adult size.

The Coyote is similar in size to a small German Shepherd and weighs an average of 25 to 40 pounds but can grow to a maximum of 50 pounds. They can run up to 40 mph, and can jump distances of up to 13 feet.

Coyotes are extremely intelligent with keen senses. They are mostly nocturnal, doing the majority of their hunting and traveling at night. They usually travel and hunt alone. The Coyote requires minimal shelter to survive, but it will use a den for the birth and care of its young. Coyotes prefer to take use of an abandoned badger den or natural cavities rather than dig their own den; however, they will make the necessary renovations by excavating multiple escape tunnels linked to the surface.