5 coyotes attack man, dog in south Edmonton
Denning and feeding are believed to be the reasons behind an "incredibly rare" coyote attack in south Edmonton on Tuesday.
Five coyotes attacked a man walking his dog near Thibault Park in Terwillegar around 10 a.m.
The man attempted to scare a coyote "displaying aggressive behaviour" away but was unsuccessful, a city official said.
Then four more coyotes came.
The man sustained several puncture wounds on his back, torso and buttocks area, and he's recovering. His dog is OK, the city said.
Following the attack, two coyotes were killed, a third was injured, and a fourth was chased away from the area, an official said.
'IT IS CONCERNING'
Speaking to reporters Thursday afternoon, Troy Courtoreille, coordinator for Animal Care and Park Rangers, said pack attacks are "incredibly rare."
There was one coyote attack in 2020 and two attacks in 2019, but the coyote population has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic began, from about 900 to 1,500, Courtoreille said.
He added the city is receiving more complaints about coyote sightings and aggressive coyotes.
"It is denning season. Coyotes are known to be hyper-aggresive to protect their pups. With a presence of a dog in the area, it would potentially trigger a coyote attack if there were pups in the area," Courtoreille said.
"We have reports that a citizen was illegally feeding the coyotes which would prompt them to stay in the area continuously."
Courtoreille said the city is following up on a lead about the person who fed the coyotes.
He asked residents to not feed coyotes and recommended hazing them, such as making noise, blowing a whistle, and if that doesn't work, throwing things in their direction.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's 'most wanted terrorist' arrested on gun charges in Canada
One of India's most wanted terrorists has been arrested and charged in connection with a recent alleged shooting in Ontario.
12-year-old boy charged in stabbing of 11-year-old boy at Edmonton McDonald's
The boy stabbed at a north Edmonton McDonald's last Friday is 11 years old.
What makes walking so great for your health and what else you need to do
Medical experts agree that walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease. While it’s not the only sort of exercise people should do, it’s a great first step toward a healthy life.
U.S. Congress hosts second round of UFO hearings
The U.S. government held another UFO hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the second such hearing in 16 months. This hearing was billed as an attempt by congress to provide a better understanding of what is known about previous sightings of UFOs, also known as UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).
Toronto teenager charged with first-degree murder in Kitchener, Ont. homicide
A Toronto teen has been charged as part of an investigation into Kitchener, Ont.’s first homicide of 2024.
Spy service officer denies threatening Montreal man who was later imprisoned in Sudan
A Canadian Security Intelligence Service official has denied threatening a Montreal man who was later imprisoned and allegedly tortured by authorities in Sudan.
Donald Trump picks Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general, putting a loyalist in the role of the nation's top prosecutor.
This Canadian airline will adopt Apple's new AirTag feature to help recover lost baggage. Here's how
Apple announced that a new feature, 'Share Item Location,' will help users locate and recover misplaced items by sharing an AirTag location with third parties including airlines.
Canada bracing for 'tough' talks as Trump's pick calls northern border an 'extreme vulnerability'
The Canadian government is aware it's likely in for 'tough conversations' with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's administration, after his border czar said there is 'an extreme national security vulnerability' he intends to tackle at the Canada-U.S. border.