A shocking video posted on social media Monday morning caught the moment a coyote was pulled from a refrigerator at an Aldi store in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. The wild animal had run into the supermarket and made a dash for the produce section before being cornered by police officers.
The scene unfolded around 9:45 a.m. when police were called to the store. Officers attempted to yank the coyote out of its hiding spot behind items on a refrigerated shelf, eventually pulling it out by its tail. The animal then ran back into the fridge, leaving customers stunned.
Chicago Animal Care and Control was notified of multiple calls, but the agency’s staff shortages and budget cuts led to delays in responding. Eventually, officers from Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation took the coyote into custody.
Experts say that colder temperatures are bringing wildlife out of hiding, making encounters like this more likely. “During the daytime, unexpectedly,” said Liza Lehrer, assistant director of the Urban Wildlife Institute at Lincoln Park Zoo. “We don’t see human activity really as much in our parks and natural areas during the colder months.”
Coyote sightings have become increasingly common in Chicago, with over 1,358 complaints made to Animal Care and Control in 2024 alone. Experts warn that coyotes are more active during breeding season, which runs from January to March. To minimize encounters, residents are advised to keep pets on a leash, secure food sources, and never feed coyotes.
In 2007, a coyote was spotted at a Quiznos sub shop in the Loop, and in 2020, one was caught after biting a 6-year-old boy near the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. These incidents highlight the need for caution when interacting with wildlife in urban areas.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news