Illinois wildlife rehabilitators are helping a coyote recover after being hit by a car and getting lodged in the vehicle’s grille, rescuers said.
The 1-year-old coyote was hit the evening of April 8 in Waukegan and had to be extricated, according to an April 9 Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Facebook post.
Waukegan fire, police and animal control personnel assisted in the coyote’s rescue. Waukegan is about a 45-mile drive north of Chicago.
“He was pretty out of it when he arrived,” rescuers said, but the coyote has become more alert as he recovers.
Rehabilitation staff said the coyote’s back right leg had multiple fractures, but he is expected to make a full recovery.
This isn’t the first time Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation has treated a coyote that was stuck in a car grille, the group said.
“Waukegan Animal Control rescued a coyote that was hit by a car back in 2014,” the organization said in a follow-up post.
“The driver that hit the coyote drove for approximately 20 minutes before realizing that it was in the grille of his car.”
Rehabilitators said that coyote sustained three broken legs but made a full recovery and was later released.
Every state has licensed wildlife rehabilitators who can assist with injured, sick, or orphaned wildlife.
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