As development surges, coyotes have become more visible, which has led to more phone calls to wildlife workers. Because they are territorial, coyotes typically won't move from an area that is being developed unless their food source is gone, said Sara Denham, manager of the Wildlife Resource Center in Wonder Lake. Homes and yards are a part of their environment now. During the 1970s and '80s, the coyote population expanded rapidly throughout Illinois. Since 1985, it has stabilized to about 30,000 statewide.
Coyotes are pack animals, and a female usually has six pups.
They are often mistaken for dogs with their grizzled gray coats. Their primary food sources are mice, rabbits and raccoons. They can average 14 square miles of territory. But in urban areas, that can shrink to about four miles, Brouillard said. As the opportunities for coyotes to interact with humans increases in developed areas, Brouillard has found himself acting as a public relations man for the beasts.