Arlington Heights Park District recently installed some Coyote Warning signs, but there might need to be emphasis on warnings not to feed coyotes. ABC 7 Chicago’s Michelle Gallardo was in Arlington Heights Tuesday, September 19, 2017 for a report on a resident or residents possibly leaving food out to feed wild coyotes. Neighbors have reported seeing cooked food such pork chops and an entire slab of ribs under a tree near Centennial Park, located just east of Riley School and just north the intersection of Hintz Road and Buffalo Grove Road. Now the Arlington Heights Police Department has urged citizens who observe suspicious placement of cooked food and meats on park property to dispose of them or call 911. There is a small nature center and pond located just east of Centennial Park.
Arlington Community Service Officer Robert Kostka warned that people should not allow coyotes to lose their natural fear of humans. When coyotes aren’t afraid of human, they are more likely to get close and possibly get into some dangerous situations, including preying on smaller dogs
“There’s an issue with the desensitization of the animals in proximity to people. We work tirelessly to try to inform people that they shouldn’t get cozy with wild animals. We want the animals to maintain the natural fear of people.”
— Arlington Heights Police Officer Robert Kostka
Over the past ten years or more, coyotes have most often reported in four locations in Arlington Heights:
• Near Lake Cook Road and Schaefer Road near Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve
• Near Hintz Road Road on both sides of Arlington Heights Road, and just south of Hintz Road along McDonald Creek, and near St Edna Catholic Church and Camelot Park (this location is just south and west of Centennial Park).
• Near Rolling Green Country Club and Memory Gardens Cemetery along Euclid Avenue and in woods nearby.
• Near Heritage Park and just north of Lowes near Kingsbridge Aboretum, probably in connection with proximity to Busse Woods to the south.
Coyotes that are not afraid of humans are probably more likely to attack small dogs for food. Small dogs, especially in the four areas of common coyote sightings, should never be left alone in the yard. Coyotes are very fast, too. They can run up to speeds of about 40 mph. They can sprint to a small dog, and drag it away within seconds.
Video from an unknown location that shows the speed involved when a coyote attacks a small dog in 2010. Fortunately for this Chihuahua-wiener dog, a strong and fast Rottweiler came to his rescue and chased the coyote away (The YouTube channel publisher said there had been no coyote sightings in the area).
See more on ABC 7 Chicago’s article Arlington Heights neighbors concerned over coyote feeding and the video below …
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