Coyote Attacks Woman Jogging in Park

A woman was bitten by a coyote in a park in West Canada on Wednesday, the day after a 5-year-old was attacked by a coyote in the same park, the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) said.

A statement released by BCCOS said the woman was jogging along a Bridal Path near Prospect Point, in Stanley Park in Vancouver, when she was approached from behind by a coyote and bitten at around 7 p.m. local time.

She was bitten on the leg, and suffered only minor injuries, the statement said.

"The COS continues to urge the public to stay out of Stanley Park—if you are in the park, use abundant caution, as there is a high risk of encountering an aggressive coyote," the statement read.

"Conservation officers are patrolling Stanley Park to help ensure public safety. The COS will be focusing trapping efforts to specific areas to minimize the chances of catching a non-target coyote. Any coyotes captured that do not match the profile of the offending animal will be released."

"The COS continues to work with wildlife biologists, park rangers, area organizations and the municipality to consider all options to address and reduce coyote conflicts. "

The BCCOS urged people to report aggressive coyote encounters to the RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.

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. His parents then chased the animal away. The child suffered minor injuries and was released from the hospital.

"We recognize and understand the public is concerned about these incidents. We are also concerned about the behavior of coyotes in Stanley Park. No one wants to see anyone injured by a coyote, especially a child, and we are thankful he is recovering," another statement from BCCOS said.

The service referred people to safety tips on the government website, such as not leaving children unsupervised in parks and picking them up if you see a coyote until the animal has left the area. They also recommended something to deter the coyotes, such as rocks, sticks or pepper spray.

The government of British Colombia says on its website that wolves and coyotes will not normally aggressively pursue humans, especially adults. Aggressive behavior toward humans by wolves or coyotes is usually the result of the animal becoming comfortable around people as a result of direct or indirect feeding, the government said.