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
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.