FLASHBACK: Coyote sighted at Memory Gardens Cemetery on East Euclid Avenue in Arlington Heights on Saturday, November 20, 2010. A map below shows the distance from reported coyote attack on April 2, 2012 in Eastman Court.
Aurora police are warning residents to be alert to the signs of coyotes and publishing advice on how to keep neighborhoods from becoming neighborhoods a desirable location for coyotes to venture.
The warnings were published on April 27, 2012, one week after an Aurora man was bitten by a coyote in the 1200 block of Cottonwood Drive on April 20, 2012. The bite did not cause serious injury.
The fact that a human was bitten could be a sign that coyotes are too comfortable in the neighborhood and could become a threat. Normally coyotes keep their distance from humans, but when food becomes available, they can move in to a neighborhood and become more aggressive.
AURORA’S WARNING TO RESIDENTS
Please Don’t Feed Coyotes!
Useful Tips To Making Your Neighborhood Undesirable To Coyotes
Q: I thought coyotes were wild animals. Why are they in my neighborhood?
A: They are wild animals. However, as area open lands have decreased over the past three decades and human population has increased, coyotes have not only survived but have adjusted. While they still make their homes in wooded and open areas they have ventured into surrounding neighborhoods primarily to search for food.
Q: Are coyotes a danger to my family?
A: Most coyotes are leery of people and tend to stay away from humans. However, like any wild animal, they can be unpredictable and dangerous. While attacks on humans are very rare, young children should never be left unattended. Coyotes pose a significant threat to small pets.
Q: What happens if I encounter a coyote?
A: If you see or are approached by a coyote, you should exhibit caution. Do not run away. Instead, yell, wave your arms, and/or throw an object at the animal. It is also a good idea to carry a walking stick. Immediately report any coyote sightings to the Aurora Animal Control Division at 630-256-3630, 24 hours a day. In the case of a coyote attack on a human, call 911.
Q: How is the City addressing coyotes in neighborhoods?
A: The safety of our residents is the City’s utmost concern. Aurora’s Animal Control Division responds to all reports of coyote attacks around the clock. While Aurora’s Animal Control Division investigates coyote sightings during normal business hours, coyotes rarely linger in populated areas. By the time our Animal Control officers reach an area, the coyotes have typically retreated and are no longer visible. The best way to decrease coyotes in neighborhoods is to partner with our citizens to make affected areas undesirable to coyotes.
Q: What can I do to make my home and neighborhood undesirable to coyotes?
A: The biggest tip is don’t feed the coyotes either intentionally or by accident! 90% of a coyote’s diet is small mammals but they will also eat birds, snakes, insects, fish, fruit, and vegetables. They can be attracted to bird and squirrel feeders, bread that is fed to ducks and geese, pet food that is left outside, and other unintentional food sources. Therefore:
Keep pet food and food and water dishes inside especially at night.
Keep grills and barbecues clean. Even the smallest food scraps may attract a coyote.
Do not keep garbage cans outside if possible or at the very least, make sure the containers have tight-fitting lids.
Make sure ripe fruit and vegetables are picked from gardens.
Stop feeding other wildlife or at the very least, do not allow spillage to accumulate outside of the feeders.
When coyotes find these types of food sources in residential areas they may lose their fear of humans and eventually test both people and pets as prey.
Q: How do I keep my family pets safe?
A: It is important that dogs, cats, and other pets, especially those smaller in size, not be left unwatched while outside. Pet doors should also be secured and remember that “invisible fencing” is ineffective on coyotes. Coyotes can also be attracted to free-ranging domestic and feral cats. Domestic cats should be kept inside.
Q: Where can I get more information?
A: More information on coyotes is available by visiting Aurora’s website, or by calling the City’s Animal Control division at 630-256-3630. There is also excellent resource information on the animals at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website-www.dnr.illinois.gov.
Please help the City spread the word and encourage your neighbors to make your neighborhood undesirable to coyotes!
Location: Aurora, Illinois
Contact: Animal Control, (630) 256-3630
View Coyote Dog Attack in a larger map
Map: Coyote photographed 2300 feet away from coyote vs. dog attack about 1 1/2 years before the attack where people have reported seeing coyotes frequently traveling across Memory Gardens property.
View Larger Map
Arlington Heights police responded about 10:27 p.m. Monday, April 2, 2012 to an animal complaint in the 2100 block of Eastman Court. A male/subject came to the door of a resident in the cul de sac and told the resident that a coyote attacked his dog. The male/subject and the dog left, and the coyote was no longer in the area. The resident asked the police to check the area.
How does a fox look compared to a coyote?
Fox video walking through Arlington Heights.
Coyotes are larger animals with longer legs and a bigger rib cage area. Foxes have larger heads, larger ears and bushier tails. Foxes are not as aggressive as coyotes.
See also …
The Cardinal — Arlingtoncardinal Dog Killed as Coyotes Reach a Troublesome Stage in Wheaton, Sightings Rare in Arlington Heights
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