The city of Burlington has euthanized a fourth coyote believed to be involved in a series of recent unprovoked attacks on humans.
On a September 23 cheepthe city said the animal in question was “stalking and chasing people.”
“It has been removed because it was aggressive, not afraid of humans, nor exhibiting normal coyote behavior,” they wrote.
The city went on to say that coyotes that are fed by humans become aggressive.
“This coyote behavior leads to attacks on humans and we must remove the aggressive pack,” they wrote on Twitter.
A total of seven people have been attacked by coyotes in South Central Burlington since the end of August.
Victims range in age from young children to older adults. The most recent attack occurred on September 17 at a home on Lakeshore Road near Tuck Creek.
In late August, a coyote believed responsible for three unprovoked attacks on humans in Burlington was euthanized. A second coyote was destroyed a few weeks later. A third was killed last Tuesday.
These recent incidents are the first coyote attacks on humans in Burlington.
The city said there is an ongoing effort to hunt down aggressive coyotes.
“Our Animal Services staff continue to be on high alert. This includes patrolling the city, gathering information, and searching for food sources,” they tweeted.
“If you see a coyote, shut him up. Make a noise, throw something, spray it with a hose or water gun, wave your arms and make yourself look as big as possible. Never run or turn your back on the coyote. Report coyote sightings using the form here: http://burlington.ca/coyotes.”
The city of Burlington, which has offered residents whistles to scare off coyotes, recently activated a “crisis management team” after an elderly woman was bitten while sitting in a chair outside her retirement home on September 10. . That incident was the sixth reported coyote. attack from the end of August. Days later, the city council approved several coyote management recommendations.
In 2015, the Burlington City Council passed a Coyote response strategywhich has guidelines for preventing and managing conflicts with coyotes, especially when a person is attacked by one.
Anyone who is attacked by a coyote is encouraged to seek immediate medical attention and report the incident to the Halton Region Health Department and Burlington Animal Services at [email protected] or 905-335-3030.
People should keep in mind that coyotes are native to North America and live in both rural and urban settings, which are especially attractive to them, since mice, rats, and garbage are easily found in residential areas.