So, I had to stop by wife's office this morning--it is in one the many of the strip malls along Route 30 around LaGrange Road--and was stunned when a wild canine bolted through the parking lot.
Naturally my first thought was coyote. That that was my first thought says a lot about how fast coyotes have overspread Chicago and the suburbs.
But, I was able to get multiple looks as it crossed from some offices and skirted the edge of a restuarant. It was a red fox.
Red foxes are close to my favorite wild mammal. I find them beautiful, probably some mix of delight in the color and the bushy tail. And as coyotes have arrived, foxes are disappearing.
I wasn't able to get my cell phone out in time to try for a quick photo, but there was no mistaking it was a red fox.
It was a source of wonder. Yes, forgive me for a moment of higher thinking, a birthday gift from God.
I'm not totally sure about the decline due to the increase in coyote population...I've seen several red foxes this year and last year too, in fact, just a couple years ago in Hammond a silver fox had to be relocated due to construction of a Home Improvement Center.
I think you'd be surprise at how many foxes are still around.
Fishaholic, you may have a point. Maybe I should have described foxes as being displaced instead of declining.
At any rate, apparently, foxes and coyotes touch people. Several emailed some really good fox and coyote stories from the southern suburbs. Maybe I will get the time to put it together in some form.
It might be interesting to note that there's a difference between coyotes and coydogs (coyotes mated with ferral dogs) too. It's my belief that it's really the coydogs which are responsible for taking down deer and farmers livestock, not the coyotes.
My folks live on the golf course at Prestwick in Frankfort, and they tell me the red foxes are plentiful out there.
I have yet to see one when visiting, but I might go for an extended walk some evening for a look!