'Aggressive' Coyotes Shadowing Dog Walkers Leads to Trail Closure

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — "Bold and aggressive" coyotes "shadowing" people out walking their dogs on a trail at Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville has led forest preserve officials to close a section of the path. The coyotes have only been following people walking dogs, and it's likely because the animals have their pups and a den too close to the trail and perceive other canines as a possible threat, Andrew Rutter, a Lake County Forest Preserve District ecologist, told the Daily Herald.

The forest preserve has received several reports of people out walking dogs on the trail who were followed by a coyote, according to the article, and the trail was closed July 9 when Rutter witnessed a coyote shadowing a woman walking her two dogs. There have been no reports of attacks.

The section of the trail is expected to reopen by mid-August. By that time, the coyote pups should be old enough to be out on their own and not living in the den with their parents, according to the Daily Herald.

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