Coyote Sightings May Be More Common In Winter: Preserve

WILL COUNTY, IL — As the weather turns colder and leaves fall off the trees, coyotes may be more visible in late fall as young males seek new turf and food availability declines, the Forest Preserve District of Will County said in a release.

The forest preserve said that in most instances, coyotes want to avoid human interaction. However, there are some things you can do to ward off any problems with these wild animals.

According to The Urban Coyote Research Project, you should not feed coyotes intentionally or unintentionally.

“The number one most effective way to prevent coyote attacks in your neighborhood is to eliminate wildlife feeding,” according to the group. “Coyotes that are fed in residential neighborhoods can lose their fear of people and may eventually test humans (and pets) as possible prey.”

Some people may unintentionally feed coyotes by leaving pet food or garbage out at night, or having large bird feeders. While coyotes aren't normally interested in bird food, bird feeders attract rodents, which then attract coyotes, according to the group.

On its Living with Wildlife website, the University of Illinois Extension explains why leaving food out for coyotes could be harmful to the animals.

“Research has shown that urban coyotes that eat a diet high in carbohydrate-rich foods provided unintentionally by people (compost, food waste, etc.) have altered microbiomes which negatively affect body condition, potentially increasing their parasite susceptibility and conflict-prone behavior.”

The extension service also has tips for avoiding conflicts:

• Do not run if a coyote approaches you. Safety procedures for dealing with coyotes are different than those for dealing with an unknown dog, according to the release. Yell, stand up straight, and wave your arms, or throw something in the direction of the coyote (not directly at the coyote) to make it move away (the goal is to scare it away, not to injure it).
• Teach your kids what to do if they see a coyote. Have them throw their arms up in the air and yell to scare the coyote away.
• Do not leave small pets unattended when they are outside, especially at night. Consider the use of fencing or kennel runs to protect small pets.