The coyotes of Stanley Park have been exceptionally anomalous this year, attacking humans again and again. Last week alone, there were three coyotes in four days.
Coyotes photographed in Stanley Park in June
Photo credit: CTV NEWS
On Friday, Aug. 13, at around 9 p.m., a man was slightly injured by a coyote bite while walking on a path near The Stanley Park Golf Course.
On Wednesday, Aug. 11, at around 7 p.m., a woman was also bitten in the leg while jogging on the Bridge Path in Stanley Park.
On Tuesday, Aug. 10, at around 9:30 p.m., a 5-year-old child was attacked by coyotes at Prospect Point in Stanley Park and was taken to the hospital for stitches.
The boy's family, who had traveled from Alberta, were unaware of the recent spatula attacks in Stanley Park. The boy's mother, Brandi Aguilar, said she did not see any signs warning tourists of danger in the park. "If we see signs or any warning signs, we're definitely going to avoid the area."
Dozens of coyotes have occurred in Stanley Park since last December, and attacks persist even after conservationists have killed several coyotes.
Shelley Alexander, a coyote expert who teaches at the University of Calgary, cautioned on Aug. 16 that the causes of the recent Coyote Wolf Bite in Stanley Park are complex. One of the most frightening things is that coyotes may pick up drugs left behind by humans, causing a change of temperament!
Dr. Alexander discovered that the homeless in Stanley Park had recently relocated their camp to the area where coyotes originally lived. "Coyotes are forced out of their homes and pushed to the margins of human life, where they have more contact with people and are more prone to conflict."
Some homeless people are likely to be eaten or exposed to coyotes when discarding used drugs. This is also one of the reasons why coyotes are more ferocious and repeatedly attack humans.
These drugs are mainly morphine, fentanyl, durandine, etc., and there are "signs that animals have been exposed to these drugs."
In addition, in all the bite cases of Canadian coyotes studied by Dr. Alexander, 100% of coyotes have either been artificially fed or have ever received food from humans. "It's a precursor to an attack," she said.
Alexander advises the public to stay away from enclosed areas in the near future and to be vigilant in the park. Anyone who notices a coyotes approaching them can respond by shouting, raising their arms, and clapping their hands.
Conservation officials also went on to strongly urge the public to stay away from Stanley Park in the near future: "If you're in the park, be extra careful because the risk of encountering aggressive coyotes is high — especially at dawn or dusk, when coyotes tend to be more active." ”