This claw is from one of North America’s most adaptable predators. Coyotes (Canis latrans) belong to the dog family, Canidae, and their claws are built less like blades and more like rugged traction tools. They stay exposed, helping the animal grip soil, scramble over uneven ground, dig at dens, and make sudden turns while chasing prey.

Coyotes are famous for thriving almost anywhere: deserts, forests, grasslands, suburbs, and even dense cities. Their paws are part of that success. Each step is supported by tough pads, flexible toes, and blunt, durable claws that handle long-distance travel over rough terrain. This helped make the coyote one of the most successful wild carnivores on the continent.

Unlike wolves, which usually depend on larger prey and pack hunting, coyotes are extreme generalists. They eat rodents, rabbits, fruit, insects, carrion, and scraps from humans.

All once-living specimens at Stemcell are ethically sourced and come only from animals that died naturally.