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Coyotes Make News
In September, a live coyote was fished out of a drain in the Chicago River near Jackson Boulevard in Chicago. In October, the Village of Mundelein in Lake County, Illinois, reported attacks on pets by resident coyotes. Five dogs were attacked in the Cambridge Country North subdivision, resulting in three dogs dead and one missing. The Mundelein Police Department quickly responded with fliers and phone calls advising residents to keep a close watch on their pets and children. They also invited Rob Carmichael, curator of the Wildlife Discovery Center, to present a program on coyote natural history and behavior.
Some Mundelein residents expressed concerns that a coyote might attack a human child next. Carmichael believes that coyotes are able to tell the difference between humans and other animals such as dogs, which they sometimes view as competitors. Furthermore, Bob Bluett of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources added that there have been no recorded attacks by coyotes on human adults or children in Illinois, nor anyplace else in the Midwest.
Chris Anchor, wildlife ecologist for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, said that "the vast majority of coyotes are innocuous, doing nothing to negatively impact people." He noted that they actually benefit Chicago Wilderness by decreasing rodent numbers, removing roadkill, and adding biodiversity to local ecosystems.
The key to coexisting with coyotes, Anchor said, is defining what a nuisance coyote is. Like neighborhood squirrels or raccoons, many urban and suburban coyotes have lost their fear of humans. "Coyotes will pass to their pups a learned lack of fear of humans, instigating a change in behavior over time," Bluett said. Anchor warned that residents should not be overzealous in trapping or removing coyotes simply because they are living nearby. His research has demonstrated that every available coyote habitat in the Chicago region is filled. By removing one coyote, people simply invite another one, possibly a troublemaker.
Naturalists and other wildlife professionals urge residents to take proactive measures to prevent attracting coyotes close to their homes. These preventive measures include keeping garbage in secure receptacles, cleaning up spilled seed under birdfeeders, and not leaving dog or cat food outside.
— Dan Spencer
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