VILLA PARK, Ill. (NBC News/WTHR) – Surveillance video captured in a suburban neighborhood in Illinois caught the scary moment when a young girl was chased by a coyote in the family's front yard.
The video from the family's home in South Villa Park, west of Chicago, shows the little girl playing in the driveway. As she skips past cars that are parked in the driveway, the coyote runs down the street.
The child doesn't appear to see the coyote until, as she makes her way toward a tree swing on the front lawn, the coyote makes a beeline for her.
The girl turns and runs, but the coyote follows her, appearing to brush up against her before it runs away.
The visibly shaken little girl rushes to the porch before going inside.
Her mother told NBC Chicago that her daughter was not harmed.
An alert posted by the Village of Villa Park said Villa Park Police had contacted the DuPage County Forest Preserve and the Illinois Conservation Police to help with the situation.
Guidance from the DuPage County Forest Preserve says that coyotes are often comfortable walking down streets and "shortening the distance between themselves and humans."
"A bold coyote does not necessarily mean an aggressive coyote, but a coyote that maintains its fear of humans will be less likely to cause problems," the preserve's website says.
"If a coyote approaches you, be big, loud and bold. Wave your hands above your head, or hold your jacket wide open. Shout or use a whistle or horn," the site advises.
