Most captive canids and felids at Zoos in advanced countries have been examined enough to apply artificial reproductive techniques to them. We investigated reproductive hormones and vaginal epithelial cells of a 6-year-old, female coyote, hoping these data could eventually be extended to artificial insemination with frozen-thawed conspecific semen at Seoul Zoo. As a relative of pet dogs, coyote exhibited a similar appearance with only minor differences. In vaginal smear, an increase in the number of superficial cells suggests that the bitch has reached a state close to estrus. A sudden decrease of estradiol and increase of progesterone is considered as a preovulatory event. Vaginal epithelial cells and hormones might be useful for determining the optimal time of artificial insemination in coyotes' breeding.

• Yong, Hwan-Yul
• Park, Jung-Eun
• Son, Chun-Soo