Coyote
Canis latrans
Just in time for the Virginia Wildlife Trail reopening in 2026, two adorable coyote pups arrived after being orphaned. Despite careful rehabilitation efforts by rescue organizations, both were deemed unreleasable, which brought them to Maymont as a forever home. Coyotes have expanded into Virginia in recent decades and are now listed as “naturalized natives," playing an important role in the ecosystem.
Meet Bernie
Bernie is a male Eastern coyote who was found orphaned near Pittsburgh as a three-week-old pup in the spring of 2025. Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh caregivers exhausted all options to keep him wild, but he eventually showed non-reversible signs of reliance on humans and was deemed unreleasable. Bernie is settling in to his new habitat within Maymont's Virginia Wildlife Trail, and carefully getting to know his new friend. He has a timid personality, so don't be surprised if he is hard to spot. You may see him in his favorite hollowed log.
Meet Bernie's friend
Maymont's younger coyote does not have a name yet, but she sure does have a big personality! The female Western coyote was found orphaned at just weeks old in San Diego County on Valentine’s Day, 2026. Staff from San Diego Humane Society took her in to rehabilitate for release to the wild, but it soon became clear she would not survive on her own in the wild. To adjust to her new home at Maymont, she will spend most of her early days in The Robins Nature Center's nursery room, alternating with periods in an outdoor habitat as she adapts.
Keeper's Notes
Species Info
DIET
They eat small mammals like rats, squirrels, rabbits and groundhogs. As omnivores, they also eat fruits and berries.
SIZE
20-40 lbs, 4-5 ft long from tip of nose to tip of tail
LIFESPAN
3-5 years in the wild; and 10-14 years in care setting
HABITAT & RANGE
Highly adaptable to live in urban and rural areas
CONSERVATION STATUS
Found commonly throughout the state and North America
