2nd Child Attacked by Coyote in Winnipeg Within a Week

A coyote is spotted, in a file photo. (Rich Reid/Getty Images)

A 4-year-old child has been attacked by a coyote in the Winnipeg area. It’s the second such attack in the area within a week.

Manitoba Natural Resources said the attack happened the evening of June 30 in the North Kildonan area, in north Winnipeg. “The child has been treated and released from hospital,” said a government news release.

Manitoba Natural Resources said patrols by conservation officers in the area have been stepped up. In addition, a trapper from the Manitoba Trappers Association has been brought in to try to catch any coyotes that might be in the area.

The attack follows a similar one on a 9-year-old boy on June 24. “The investigation revealed that a 15-year-old girl and her 9-year-old brother were walking in the Popko Crescent and Knowles Avenue area when they noticed a coyote,” Winnipeg Police said in a news release.

“The coyote began running towards them as they fled. The 9-year boy was mauled, at which time an area resident chased the coyote away. As a result, the boy sustained multiple injuries and was transported to hospital in stable condition.”

The attacks happened within a few blocks of each other, and Manitoba Natural Resources is advising people to be vigilant.

“Supervise children closely, feed pets indoors, keep animals on a leash, and reduce attractants,” the release said.

If a coyote is spotted nearby, the provincial government advises people to make noise, try to appear large, stay in a group, and not to run, because that might prompt the animal to chase.

An official with the Manitoba Trappers Association who did not want to be named said it is an unusual situation.

“This is the first time we’ve ever been requested to do a live trapping in an urban setting,” said the official.

No one from the province was available for an interview, but the neighborhood North Kildonan Facebook page has a variety of comments about the attack.

“It is past time for trapping. It has to be put down!” said one post.

“Scary stuff!” said another.

While people in the area have reported a number of coyote sightings in recent weeks, the province said unprovoked attacks on people are “extremely rare but do occur.”

There are a variety of tips on the province’s website on how to deal with coyotes, such as:

• Coyotes are attracted to food and food waste in people’s yards, such as fallen fruit, pet food, bird seed, and garbage.
• Coyotes can attack people’s pets or livestock.
• Coyotes can carry diseases and parasites that may infect people or their animals.
• Coyotes are naturally timid animals. It is important to keep it that way, for the safety of people, pets, and coyotes. This can be done by scaring coyotes away—an activity known as “hazing.”
• Though coyote attacks on people are rare, it can happen. The risk increases if the animal has previously been fed by people, because the coyote may associate people with food.

The only documented fatal attack by coyotes in Canada happened in October 2009, when a 19-year-old woman was attacked by a pack of coyotes while hiking in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.