Village: Report Arlington Heights Coyote Sightings Online For Monitoring And Evaluation Program

Press release from the Village of Arlington Heights:

Understanding the growing concerns of coyotes cohabiting in our urban environment, the Village has partnered with an urban coyote specialist (Scientific Wildlife Management) who will assist in tracking and evaluating the coyote population in the Village. Residents can report a coyote sighting online that will help the specialist quickly detect sick or aggressive coyotes so an effective intervention strategy can be implemented.

This community-based reporting method will offer a single point of submission to better achieve consistent and accurate data. The report will contain all the relevant information needed for the specialist to track and make recommendations when required.

Coyotes have adapted very well to living in urban environments and casual sightings continue to be common. On average, the Police Department responds to nearly 100 coyote sightings a year. Police Department Animal Control Officers investigate each report and, while most typically involve a healthy coyote posing no danger, some sightings have uncovered diseased or injured animals. In such cases, intervention may be required to reduce the potential risk of a dangerous encounter.

Animal Control Officers will receive any submitted data to further assist in monitoring and evaluating confirmed coyote sightings. The online monitoring service is $600 for the year and $500 per intervention when required. With the addition of this resource, our hope is to better understand the urban coyote population in Arlington Heights and effectively implement proactive strategies as needed.

To report a coyote sighting in your neighborhood, click here.

This press release was produced by the Village of Arlington Heights. The views expressed here are the author’s own.