On Wednesday, a woman was attacked in West Canada by a coyote. This happened the day after a 5-year old was attacked in the same park by the coyote, according to the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service.
According to BCCOS, the woman was walking along the Bridal Path in Vancouver’s Stanley Park when she was approached by a coyote. She was bitten around 7:45 p.m. local.
According to the statement, she was bit on her leg and only suffered minor injuries.
The statement stated that the COS is still urging the public to avoid Stanley Park. If you do venture into the park, be cautious as there is a high chance of being attacked by an aggressive coyote.
Stanley Park is being manned by conservation officers to ensure public safety. To minimize the chance of trapping non-target coyotes, the COS will focus their efforts on specific areas. All coyotes that are not in line with the profile of the offending animals will be released.”
“The COS continues its collaboration with wildlife biologists and park rangers as well as local organizations to explore all possible options for reducing coyote conflict.
BCCOS advised people to call the RAPP number at 1-877-952-7277 if they encounter aggressive coyotes.
A 5-year-old child was bitten nearby in the same park on Tuesday. During a family walk in the park at around 9:30 p.m., the boy was running ahead when the coyote lunged and bit him on the leg. The animal was then chased away by his parents. The child sustained minor injuries and was then released from the hospital.
“We are aware that the public is concerned by these incidents and we understand it. We are also concerned by the behaviour of coyotes at Stanley Park. We don’t want to see any coyotes injure anyone, especially children, so we are grateful he is now recovering,” another statement was made by BCCOS.
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They also recommended safety tips from the government website. These included not leaving children alone in parks, and not picking up coyotes until they have left the area. The service also suggested pepper spray or rocks to deter coyotes.
According to the government of British Colombia, wolves and coyotes won’t normally pursue adults or children aggressively. The government stated that aggression by coyotes or wolves toward humans is often due to the animals becoming more comfortable with people through direct or indirect food.