...
By Jordan King
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Coyotes seem to be causing chaos in Chicago during their mating season, with one pulled out of a grocery store fridge and another causing an airline pilot to declare an emergency.
What To Know
At least two strange encounters with coyotes have been reported by Chicago's local media in the past few days.
Read More on News
On Monday, two police officers struggled to pull a coyote out of a fridge at an Aldi store, with a now-viral video showing an officer yank it out by its tail before the animal jumps right back into the fridge.
...
The coyote was eventually captured by Chicago Animal Control and Care. It is set to be transferred to the Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation, local broadcaster WMAQ reports.
"The coyote appears uninjured, but Flint Creek will conduct an assessment to confirm its health before releasing it back into the wild if deemed appropriate," officials said.
This came just one day after a United plane hit a coyote during takeoff at Chicago O'Hare Airport, causing the flight (1727) to divert back to the airport after declaring an emergency, "to examine the aircraft after its landing gear struck a coyote during takeoff," ABC7's Chicago team reported.
The pilot could reportedly be heard on air traffic control saying: "During the rotation we hit a pretty big animal and we're suspecting of causing damage the nose and landing gear."
A separate plane had to take all 167 passengers to their destination, Phoenix, later that afternoon.
The Context
Coyote mating season takes place between January and March, and this "generally means increased activity in urban areas, including Chicago," Chicago Animal Care and Control said in a post on Facebook.
Liza Watson Lehrer, the assistant director of the Urban Wildlife Center at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, told CBS News the refrigerator incident is "not a total surprise" as coyotes are more visible at this time of year.
What People Are Saying
Chicago Animal Care and Control's public information officer Armando Tejeda told Newsweek: "During this period, coyotes are more likely to be seen as they search for mates and establish or defend territories. This can occasionally lead to unexpected encounters, such as these recent incidents.
"Coyotes are highly adaptable and opportunistic animals, which is why they thrive in urban environments. Their increased visibility during mating season, and later during pupping season in the spring, is normal and typically not a cause for concern."
Liza Watson Lehrer told CBS News: "The colder temperatures—we don't see human activity typically as much, you know, out in our parks and in our natural areas, so that's kind of the time where a lot of different wildlife might be a little bit more active."
What Happens Next
People have been advised to take precautions, including keeping pets on a leash, securing food sources and checking yards until the end of coyote mating season. Chicago Animal Care and Control has also told people not to feed coyotes.
Update 1/16/25, 6:20 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from Tejeda.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines