Increase in coyote sightings not cause for alarm

DuPage County residents may notice increased coyote sightings between now and February as the young leave their parents in search of mates and territories to call their own, according to the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

"Young coyotes are looking for a place to call home, yet most areas are already occupied. This forces them to move around quite a bit looking for an unoccupied area," said district ecologist Dan Thompson. "As a result, sightings tend to increase at this time of year."

People also may see coyotes more frequently in winter because there's less vegetation, giving them fewer places to hide, and more snow, making animals easier to spot. A rise in sightings doesn't necessarily mean a rise in the county's coyote population, though.

For people with pets, there are additional recommendations.

"Follow forest preserve regulations and keep your pets leashed when you're in a preserve," Thompson said. "It's smart to stay with your dog and keep it on a leash in your backyard, too.

"It's uncommon, but coyotes can target dogs, not necessarily for food but to eliminate animals they think are competing for their territory. Dogs that bark at other dogs seem to elicit this kind of response the most.

"Owners of dogs that behave this way need to be aware that their dogs are challenging coyotes or other dogs to a fight. This will put their dogs at a higher risk of a confrontation, especially smaller breeds."

A hungry coyote is going to be more interested in unsecured garbage cans, pet food, open compost piles, and bird feeders or fallen fruit under trees and shrubs, Thompson said. Keeping yards clean can limit these attractions.

"Coyotes are able to learn and adapt quickly to changes in their environment," said Stephanie Touzalin, a naturalist at the district's Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

"They've found urban areas offer adequate shelter and more food than rural farmlands ever did. So they're very common in our area."

Of course, it also helps to remember that coyotes are an important component of the ecological community.

"Coyotes are a permanent fixture in Illinois' rural, suburban and urban areas," forest preserve President Joe Cantore said. "Coyotes living and thriving in an urban area is a positive sign of the health and biodiversity of an area. Their presence should be seen as proof of the quality of an area's ecology."

Visit dupageforest.org for more information about coyotes and living with coyotes.