Coyote Encounters in Vancouver
Photo Credit: Shutterstock via Vancouver Is Awesome
The past year has seen a large number of coyote attacks reported in Vancouver. This year, 993 of 1083 reports were in the category of sightings of approaching and following, and 90 coyotes caused injuries or sickness, bite accidents, pet attacks, death, aggression to humans, and showed defensive/breeding behaviour. There were many sighting reports during the first half of the year and the summer; however, there haven’t been any reported encounters through October to December.
To prevent encounters with coyotes, residents are reminded to avoid leaving food on the ground, even fruits from trees in the yard and bird feeders, according to The New York Times.
Additionally, The Vancouver Park Board advised in a statement that if coyotes approach you, act aggressively by standing tall, yelling, or making loud noises. The Park Board also recommended facing an aggressive coyote and standing in one spot as they have a natural instinct to chase their prey.
Ava Lund, a dog walker who encountered an aggressive coyote at Trafalgar Park, told CBC that she decided to start bringing a whistle and coyote deterrent spray around.
The Park Board stated that coyotes often become more aggressive during the early half of the year because they want to protect their denning sites. This is due to pups being born in the earlier months of the year, and reared in and around their dens from March to September. Coyotes see dogs as threats, and coyotes that normally run from a dog will “stand their ground and act defensively” if they believe they are protecting their young. Coyote pups are born blind, and they stay in their dens for a month until they can see. In October to December, the now juvenile coyotes will start to look for their own territories and mates, which often results in more sightings of larger groups.
Coyotes are mostly active at night and the evening, but it is still normal to see them in the daytime, according to the City of Vancouver. They often live in groups, but can live alone. The Stanley Park Ecology Society says coyotes mate from January to February, where there are more sightings, and residents nearby may hear vocalization from the adult coyotes, who are attempting to secure their territories.