Coyote to be killed after series of attacks in northwest Calgary

Northwest Calgary has already seen three cases of animal attacks in the last month, with the most recent attack happening last Saturday at 7:30 p.m. All attacks have been linked to what officials are calling “an unusually bold and aggressive coyote,” and plans for its removal are underway. 

Although coyotes and humans can coexist, experts believe that the animal was trying to establish its territory after being displaced, according to CBC. 

The coyote has been seen eating rabbits and watching people and pets in the Nolan Hill neighbourhood. Officials responded with a “hazing” strategy that required teams to spend six to 10 hours each day for weeks to teach the animal to associate people with unpleasant experiences like loud noises. However, new measures may need to be used after the most recent report of another coyote attack. 

“Because of the urgency of the situation and the concerns raised in the community and the concerns that we have … we think that the removal and destroying [of] the animal is the fastest, safest option at this point,” says Lincoln Julie, integrated pest management lead for Calgary’s parks department. 

“We do think that the coyote may have been displaced by some development going on in the area,” Julie tells CBC. “Because there are other coyote packs in the area with established territory, this coyote has nowhere to go.” 

Contractors will be tracking the coyote’s whereabouts and will attempt to kill the animal if the property owners of the land the animal is on allows for its termination.  

Visit the CBC website for tips on how to stay safe around coyotes, and please report any sightings or encounters to the City of Calgary website. For more news updates and important information for students, visit our blog to find out more.