(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Millennium Park’s Lurie Garden has some new residents that are drawing attention: a family of foxes.
Staff members at the natural area say they have seen a wandering fox the past couple of years. A few weeks ago, they discovered a den with six young fox “kits.” Those kits are now exploring their surroundings.
“They’re quite active, more so in the morning or the evenings,” says Kathryn Deery, head horticulturalist at Lurie Garden. “The kits are becoming more and more bold.”
The young animals are playing and hunting, she said.
Word about the fox family has spread. Monday evening, a handful of photographers with long lenses were staking out an area of the garden where the foxes are known to emerge. One of the photographers said the animals keep their distance but are not skittish around people.
Signs there tell visitors to “maintain a safe distance” from the wildlife. “We are honored they chose our garden as their temporary home."
Deery said the presence of the fox family indicates the urban garden has a healthy ecosystem.
Foxes prey on rabbits, birds and rodents, she notes.
“As a gardener, it’s nice to get rid of a few of those rabbits,” Deery said.
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