Coyote Killed After Two-Year-Old Attacked and Bitten in Local Park

Conservation officers have launched an investigation after a two-year-old child was attacked by a coyote in British Columbia.

The incident took place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Lions Park in Port Coquitlam. "The child was bitten by a coyote and taken to hospital with minor injuries," the Conservation Officer Service for British Columbia said on social media.

Local police officers were the first to arrive at the scene, and killed a coyote near the site of the attack. Following a further search of the park, no other coyotes were found.

"Poor kid must be traumatized," said one user in response to the post.

Following an examination of the coyote that was killed, it became clear that it had been eating "non-natural food sources"—human food.

Coyotes are closely related to domestic dogs and wolves. They are slightly smaller than wolves, weighing between 20 to 50 pounds and standing at about 3 feet tall. Their coats vary by location, ranging from gray to reddish-brown, and they can be distinguished from wolves by their slim pointed muzzles, tall prominent ears and long legs.

Unlike wolves, coyotes are well-adapted to living near human settlements. As a result, they can be found across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Coyotes were once primarily found in open prairies and desert habitats, but have since spread across the continent due to their adaptable nature.

Coyotes will eat almost anything, which has allowed them to thrive in a range of different habitats. They are often seen as a pest to farmers as their diet includes lambs, calves and other livestock. However, it also includes human food.

Feeding wild animals human food, either intentionally or accidentally, can result in numerous problems, both for the animals themselves and for human safety. Firstly, human food, particularly ultra-processed fast foods, can be detrimental to the animal's health. Just like humans, too much junk food can leave animals with nutritional deficits and wreak havoc on their gut microbiomes.

Secondly, if wild animals begin to consider humans to be a food source, they will congregate in areas where there are high densities of human food. They may also lose their fear of people and become more aggressive.

This may well have been the reason for Wednesday's attack. "The Conservation Officer Services cannot stress enough the importance of not feeding dangerous wildlife and will take enforcement action as warranted," the service said in a Facebook post.

"The Conservation Officer Services also urges people to take precautions in case of coyote encounters, including leashing pets and traveling in groups."