Mar
18
Coyote ugly
Along with gypsy moths, raccoons and the annual army of mosquitos, Downers Grove faces another more ominous critter problem.
Resident Dave Brown last night warned the village council about the area’s growing coyote population, a “dangerous nuisance” that has implications for public safety.
Just last weekend he chased off a coyote that was stalking his pet cat, Brown said. Unlike other predators, coyotes not only prey on domestic animals but have been known to attack children.
One coyote could give a man a “bad time” and “three could kill you,” he said.
As pack animals, coyotes are finding suburban areas to be primo real estate. “Suburban coyotes are larger and healthier,” Brown said. They also require less territory to maintain themselves in developed areas, meaning coyote populations, including packs, are far denser in suburbia than in the wild.
After researching the problem, Brown believes “we’ve reached a tipping point” because of a general attitude of permissiveness when it comes to environmental issues.
Naturalists tend to defend the presence of coyotes and “we’ve all seen Walt Disney movies and we all know that animals have families and talk and dance,” Brown said.
He suggested the village should take steps to confront the problem. While coyotes aren’t indigenous to the region, “the suburbs are our natural habitat and we should defend it,” Brown said.
Mayor Ron Sandack agreed to ask village staff to consider the issue, possibly by joining forces with neighboring communities.
In the meantime, I’ll be rethinking those evening strolls.
A brief Google search found this:
“In Illinois, coyotes are protected as a furbearer. Coyotes in urban areas that become problems may be removed if a nuisance wildlife permit is issued by an Illinois Department of Natural Resources District Wildlife Biologist.”
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/wildlife/directory_show.cfm?species=coyote
Does anyone have any statistics to add to the anecdote?
I actually saw one (and only one) walking from the library parking lot along Forest toward the train tracks back in early February.
One morning our we heard our neighbor yelling in her backyard. She was chasing off a coyote that had jumped into her yard for an early morning snack of her dog.
I would love to get a DG permit to help out. And it’s a revenue source !!
We see and hear them all the time by Barth Pond area.
Natural habitat means a complex of natural, primarily native or indigenous vegetation, not currently subject to cultivation or artificial landscaping, a primary purpose of which is to provide habitat for wildlife, either terrestrial or aquatic. Suburban sprawl doesn’t fit this definition. Please read the U of I extension website(link above) for the FACTS like this one…’there hasn’t been a documented case of an attack on a human in Illinois in 30yrs’. A little common sense can go a long way. Stop feeding wildlife(geese included), keep your garbage covered, don’t leave your pet food outside, and keep an eye on your kids and small pets.
By all means, identify and remove individual coyote troublemakers. But keep in mind that ecologies, native or urban, involve complex interactions. I wouldn’t be surprised for a reduction in the coyote population to result in an exponential increase in the goose and rabbit population. Skunks, even, not because coyotes eat skunks, but because coyotes eat other animals that skunks would otherwise eat. It gets complex.
I think Gov Quin should tax them! He is taxing the hell out of everyone else………….We need a Republican back in the Mansion.
can you blame them for eating the cats…..Gooood Eatn’…
Now that’s the kind of comment that could get you banned from this blog for life, Dad.
Maureen-
If there hasn’t been an attack on a human being in Illinois in 30+ years, why are you recommending I keep an eye on my children? Not reassuring. I keep an eye on the dogs when they’re outside, especially since we have an empty lot nearby (thank you housing collapse).
Cats? No love lost.
No doubt these coyotes are being attracted by food, as it is usually people feeding them purposefully that attracts them in close. Even a bird feeder in your back yard can start a food chain, starting with rats and mice. The coyotes are actually looking for rats, mice, woodchucks and rabbits. They are a farmers best friend. The greatest single deterrent to coyotes is human presence. So the solution is simple: don’t let your cats roam freely out of doors because many bad things can happen to them such as owls, domestic dog attacks, hit by cars, etc. Small dogs should be accompanied out of doors. Not just coyotes are dangers to little dogs. Domestic dogs cause 20-30 deaths per year and 1,000 injuries PER DAY. Why worry about coyotes? As far as children, worry about the HUMAN predators first. Keep an eye on your kids.
Meat, because as a parent that is your job…coyotes or not…
If we start expelling the coyotes, I don’t want to hear anyone complaining about the booming population of rabbits, squirrels, or even skunks and raccoons which coyotes have been known to kill.
When I lived at Oakwood and Warren they were by the tracks all the time. When I lived in Laguna Niguel CA, we lived side by side with coyotes for years and years. They never attacked people in the area (like the CA mountain lions or rattlesnakes do all the time) but they did pick off a cat or two in the area. I have had close encounters with them and they were very shy and ran away. Like any other wild or unknown domestic animal, if you don’t engage it, feed it or touch it you should be fine. Pet owners who allow thier cats and dogs to roam free are putting thier pets, people, and wildlife at risk.
Before everyone gets their “fur” flying, do we need to be reminded AGAIN that these animals have been driven from their homes and have no where else to go. For crying out loud people… be responsible.. don’t let you pets out unattended, pay attention (turn off the iPod and cell phone) when you are out walking and keep your eyes open when you go out at night. They are more afraid of you than you think! Once again, the NIMBY’s are out in full force. You all want the mansions and prestige of living in Downers Grove, but you want nothing to do with who/what was here before you! I’m so bloody glad I moved to another town!