WATCH: Coyote eyes off-leash dogs at Montrose Beach

WATCH: Coyote eyes off-leash dogs at Montrose Beach

A coyote caught on camera watching off-leash dogs at Montrose Beach is getting attention as more sightings pop up across Chicago. Cook County wildlife officials say it’s coyote breeding season and remind people to keep their distance.

CHICAGO - A video showing a coyote watching off-leash dogs at Montrose Beach is getting attention as people share more coyote sightings online across Chicago.

What we know:

Craig Shimala said he recorded the video Wednesday in the Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area, a protected area where dogs are not allowed.

According to the Chicago Park District, the Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area supports numerous state-threatened or endangered plant species and is home to federally endangered Great Lakes piping plovers.

Dig deeper:

The video comes as several coyote sightings have been shared on social media and online forums, including Reddit. Users have reported seeing coyotes in areas such as Grant Park, Humboldt Park and along the lakefront.

"Coyotes are found everywhere. They’re within the heart of the city," said Chris Anchor, senior wildlife biologist with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County.

Anchor said family groups of coyotes are known to live in areas including Jackson Park, Millennium Park and Lincoln Park.

He said coyotes are currently more active because the region is in peak breeding season.

Anchor is part of a 26-year research effort known as the Cook County Coyote Project, which studies urban coyotes in Chicago and surrounding areas.

What you can do:

He said people who encounter a coyote should keep their distance.

"If folks take one thing away from this interview, it is please do not feed coyotes," Anchor said. "The only documented cases of coyote attacks on humans have all occurred in places where people were actively feeding them."