Village: 6 Coyote Sightings Reported in November (Map)

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With an estimated 30,000 coyotes currently living in Illinois, like it or not, coyotes are a permanent fixture in Oak Park, the village warned in a message to residents. 

To help track the presence of coyotes in the area, some municipalities ask residents to report sightings. According to the Village of Oak Park, there have been only a few—six total—sightings in Oak Park in the past three months.  

The interactive map above shows the location and dates of the sightings reported to the village, as well as one other sighting a Patch user submitted to our Boards on Nov. 19. To see the date and time of day, hover your cursor over the orange marker. 

"Seeing a coyote does not necessarily mean a dangerous situation for humans or domestic animals," the village's message reads. "If approached by a coyote, do not run—make yourself appear larger by yelling, standing up straight, clapping your hands and waving your arms. You can even throw something at the coyote."

In the unlikely event that a coyote is aggressive or shows its fangs, growls or approaches, get to safety and contact the Animal Control Division at 708.358.5680. The Village will ask for details including the date, time and address of the event.

In the meantime, discourage coyotes from being attracted to your property by following these tips:

• Do not feed coyotes. This means limiting unintentional outdoor food sources like pet food and ripe fruit. Bird food, for example, attracts rodents which coyotes feed upon.
• Do not leave small pets — especially cats — unattended outside.
• Consider installing a fence at least four feet high to prevent coyotes from entering your yard.
• Keep garbage stored securely. While coyotes are not likely to eat garbage, they may be to be attracted to the rodents that feed on it.

For more detailed information on coyotes, visit web.extension.illinois.edu/wildlife.

Information courtesy of the Village of Oak Park. 

Where have you spotted coyotes in the area? Let us know in the comments below.