It’s prime coyote mating season moving Wilmette to continue to warn and educate residents about the wild animals after there were reports of an aggressive coyote on the village’s lakefront last month.
“We all have to learn to live with wildlife,” said Wilmette Village Manager Mike Braiman. “If we have an incident like we did, we make sure we post signage to let residents and visitors to the lakefront know there was an aggressive coyote not too long ago there and to just maintain the awareness of their surroundings with small children and small pets.”
In early March a family reported an encounter with an aggressive coyote at Elmwood Dunes Preserve in Wilmette, officials said. They said in that incident a grandmother and her two grandchildren were in the lakefront park when they were confronted by a coyote acting “aggressively.” When they moved the coyote followed them and bit the 5-year-old child on the back of the shoulder. The village closed the park and posted signs warning that an aggressive coyote had been reported in the area. The park has since been reopened.
“We do coordinate with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and private wildlife experts to help give tips to our residents,” Braiman said.
During coyote breeding and pup season from February to July, coyotes may become more territorial, according to the Cook County Forest Preserve website. It says that in April, female coyotes find or dig dens to raise their pups.
“While coyotes prefer secluded sites, many urban coyotes have less choice and may inhabit dens in areas frequented by humans,” the website say. “After pups are born, the parents will keep careful watch to prevent predators from gaining access to the den site.”
It also says that researchers believe that the coyote population in the Chicago region rose dramatically during the 1980s, has remained relatively steady since then and some coyotes can weigh as much as 42 pounds.
“Coyotes live all across Cook County, in rural, suburban and urban sections. They even live in the most developed parts of the city of Chicago,” says the website.
Braiman said the village has a guide for interacting with coyotes on its website and that the village has plans to send the information out to residents.
“Coyote attacks on humans are incredibly rare, but we certainly don’t want individuals feeding coyotes or if the encounter a coyote you don’t want to walk or run away from it,” he explained. “You just want to wave your arms and make a lot of noise. In that instance the coyote will generally retreat and walk away and they’ll be no further incident. We’re really making sure residents understand the appropriate way to interact with a coyote if they do encounter one.”
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
