A coyote attack in Whitby, Ont. — the second in two weeks — has left a young child seriously injured as police issue a warning to the public.
Durham Regional Police said officers were called to Vanier Park, located near Brock Street North and Rossland Road East, at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday to assist an ambulance call.
They said a two-year-old boy was in the playground area when a coyote entered and attacked him without provocation.
“The child sustained bite injuries to his face before his guardian and several bystanders were able to intervene and scare the coyote away,” police said in a news release on Monday.
The child was seriously injured and transported to hospital.
Police said that, about an hour later, officers responded to a separate incident involving a different coyote which was in distress near Harrier and Annes streets in Whitby. The details of that incident were not released, but police said no physical injuries were reported.
Second coyote attack in 2 weeks
Two weeks ago, on June 22, police said they were called to a field near a forested tree line in the area of Coronation and Rossland roads — about 2.5 kilometres west of the incident reported Monday — after a child was bitten by a coyote.
Police released limited details of that incident, but said a “very young male youth” was taken to a Toronto-area hospital for his injuries.
Following the latest incident, police say they are working with the Town of Whitby, the Durham Regional Health Department and Whitby Animal Services to investigate, monitor coyote activity and implement measures aimed at reducing the risk of future encounters.
In the meantime, police are offering up tips to the public if they encounter a coyote, including:
- Keep a safe distance from coyotes and never approach, feed, or interact with them.
- Supervise children and keep pets on a short leash.
- Be aware of posted signage and follow any guidance in affected areas.
- Avoid areas where coyotes are actively present whenever possible.
- Remove food attractants such as unsecured garbage, pet food, bird seed, and fallen fruit.
- If you encounter a coyote, remain calm, do not run, and use hazing techniques — such as making yourself appear large, making loud noises, and slowly backing away — to encourage it to leave the area.
Police said although coyotes are a natural part of the local environment and incidents involving aggressive behaviour towards humans are rare, the encounters are taken “very seriously.”
“Residents are urged to remain vigilant and proactive, particularly near parks, playgrounds, trails, and other natural areas, especially during the early morning and evening hours when coyotes are most active,” they said.
Police are asking anyone who spots a coyote to report the sighting to Animal Services so that trends can be monitored.
