Cody, oldest coyote in captivity, dies at 18 in Michigan

HOWELL, Mich., Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Cody the Coyote, believed to be the oldest coyote in captivity, died at age 18 at the Conference and Nature Center in Howell, Mich., staff said.

The coyote, known for a howl that endeared him to children who visited the nature center, had been a resident of the center's Wild Wonders Wildlife Park since 1995, when he was brought to the park as a pup. He died Monday.

The average lifespan of a coyote in the wild is six to eight years, and captive coyotes rarely live past 15. Cody was nearly deaf at the time of his death, and suffered from vision issues and arthritis, the Howell Livingston County Daily Press and Argus reported Wednesday.