Adaptable and ever-present, coyotes are the wild soundtrack of Montana's cold nights. The northern Rockies hold an abundance of wildlife that has vanished from much of the country.

Coyotes thrive from remote wilderness to the edges of town.

What sets it apart

Their howls and yips carry for miles on still winter air. Small as it sounds, it is exactly the sort of thing that defines the experience on the ground.

They play a key role controlling rodent populations.

Why it matters

In the end, the story here is really a story about the northern Rockies and the people drawn to them. Give these animals room, and the reward is a glimpse of a wilder, older America.