As urban areas expand, some wildlife have adapted to live alongside people. Coyotes, with their remarkable behavioral flexibility, have thrived in both natural and highly urbanized settings, including many of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. For more than 25 years, the Urban Coyote Research Project has studied the ecology and behavior of coyotes throughout Chicagoland.
In this program, we will cover general information about coyotes and share findings from local research comparing the behavior of city-dwelling coyotes with those living in suburban forest preserves. Join us to discover how something as seemingly simple as a garden gnome can trigger a surprising range of responses from one of the region’s top mammalian predators.
This program meets in person at the Arboretum.
Instructor: Katie Baughman, wildlife research supervisor, Forest Preserves of Cook County
Age: 16 and older
Course number: N550
Instructor
Katie Baughman, wildlife research supervisor, Forest Preserves of Cook County
Dr. Katie Baughman is the wildlife research supervisor for the Forest Preserves of Cook County. In her current role, she participates in a variety of wildlife management and research efforts throughout FPCC’s 70,000+ acres of protected land. Katie has a PhD in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University, as well as a BS in Zoology and a minor in Biotechnology from North Carolina State University. Her dissertation focused on understanding how coyotes differ behaviorally and physiologically across Chicagoland’s urbanization gradient, as part of the long-term Urban Coyote Research Project. She has previously tutored and taught biology and environmental science courses as an adjunct professor at multiple colleges and universities, including Waubonsee Community College, Elgin Community College, Aurora University, and Loyola University Chicago.
What to Know
This program is held indoors.
Bring water and materials for taking notes. A light layer may be useful if the room is chilly.
Program Schedule
Saturday, March 28, 2026, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Cudahy Room, Administration and Research Center (parking lot P-1), East Side
