Coyotes and Red Foxes
A coyote reminds one of a small German Shepherd dog. Coyotes weigh between 20 and 45 pounds, have a bushy tail with a black tip, are yellowish gray with a whitish throat and belly, their ears are prominent, and their tail is held below their back while running. Coyotes are opportunistic hunters, feeding primarily on what is most available. They rarely kill prey larger than themselves, but will scavenge on a fresh carcass. Coyotes are capable of taking a small dog (less than 15 pounds) or a cat, but they rarely take supervised pets. They are mostly active at night, but may be seen during the day, especially in the summer when young are more active. They sometimes hunt in family units, but are more often alone or in a male/female pairs.
A red fox is most recognized by its long bushy reddish-black tail; red foxes are actually only 8-15 pounds, the size of a large cat. Most foxes feed on rabbits, mice, rats and birds. They are generalists who are able to use a wide range of habits, exploit a wide range of natural and human-produced foods and alter their activity schedules, if necessary, to be primarily active at the times when humans are not. The reward for this longer life than their rural counterparts and a death that is more likely to come from disease. The fox is generally active at night, but they may often be seen sunning themselves at any hour of the day. During the winter months, they may forage for food during the day because of the difficulty in finding an adequate food source.
If a coyote encounter occurs, do the following:
- Make loud noises, shout, clap your hands
- Blow a whistle
- Bang two pots together
- Wave your arms
- Carry a walking stick
- Stand your ground, have a bold front, and don’t run
- Spray it with a garden hose
Preventing Problems with Coyotes and Foxes:
- Keep pet food and watering dishes inside, especially at night
- Do not allow spillage to accumulate outside bird feeders
- Keep grills and barbecues clean. Even the smallest food scraps may attract coyotes of foxes.
- Do not keep garbage cans outside, if possible
- Use welded wire to exclude animals from underneath decks
- Keep cat indoors
- Keep small dogs and cats on leashes and stay with your pets while outside, especially during the evening and early morning
- Coyotes are creatures of habit. If you encounter a coyote at the same place and same time while walking your pet, you may want to change your path or time of your walk.
Most people are concerned that coyote or fox represents a threat to their children or pets.
The Illinois Department of Resources (IDNR) records indicate only 16 coyote attacks on humans in the past 30 years. The majority of these cases occurred when people tried to hand-feed the animal. In the past three years in DuPage County, the only record of a person being bitten by either species was a fox bite that resulted when a boy reached his hand into a den. This is in comparison to over 900 dog bites reported annually in DuPage County.
Other Common Wildlife Issues
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