‘Aggressive’ coyote sighting in Scarborough underscores need to stop feeding wildlife, advocate says

“We know 100 per cent that there are people going into that area feeding just for photo snaps, it’s been a chronic thing happening there,” said Lesley Sampson of Coyote Watch Canada.

Thestar.com
Oct. 4, 2022
Ivy Mak, Jacques Gallant, Janiece Campbell

There is a persistent problem of people feeding wildlife in the Scarborough area where police said Monday two “aggressive” coyotes had been spotted, says the executive director of advocacy organization Coyote Watch Canada.

Police tweeted that two coyotes had been sighted in the Guildwood Parkway and Livingstone Road area and had “tried to attack someone,” but no injuries were reported.

The incident underscores the need for people to stop feeding the coyotes, said Lesley Sampson, whose organization advocates for positive human-wildlife experiences.

“The details around this incident are sketchy, but we know 100 per cent that there are people going into that area feeding just for photo snaps, it’s been a chronic thing happening there,” said Sampson. “So we need to maintain, or re-establish healthy boundaries for the wildlife, especially coyotes.”

She also questioned the use of the words “aggressive” and “attack” given the lack of details. She said some coyotes fed by humans will exhibit “demand behaviour” and approach people more often.

“Coyotes don’t really want to have anything to do with people, but once there’s that food reward, it’s a confusing message to give to a highly intelligent, very resourceful and successful forager and hunter,” she said.

Lee Ellis, a birder and wildlife enthusiast who frequents the area, says she’s witnessed the ongoing problem of locals feeding wild animals.

“It’s been going on forever, to the point the city put up signs asking people not to feed the wildlife a couple of years ago. It’s one thing if people feed birds off their hand but people are putting large quantities of peanuts, birdseed, bread and other foods out,” Ellis says.

She said people will often leave food for the animals on the flat surfaces in Guildwood Park and Gardens, which contains scattered pieces of old Toronto buildings.

“We see a lot of deer who know where to go for the food because it’s put there all the time,” she added.

Toronto Animal Services have been notified by the city, and police are warning residents in the area to use caution.

It’s the latest in a string of coyote incidents in the GTA.

Burlington has killed four coyotes since August following what it described as “unprecedented and unprovoked” attacks on humans. In a news release last month, the municipality outlined incidents including a two-and-a-half year old boy grabbed by the neck on his backyard deck, and a retirement home resident bitten in the hip while resting on the front patio.

The city said it was also sending bylaw officers to inspect certain “neglected properties” that could act as denning areas for coyotes.

Experts say the incidents could be related to one local family that may depend on humans for food, after the city reported signs that food had been found left at the scene of one of the recent coyote attacks.

There have been recent reports of coyotes entering urban centres around the country, said Andrew Holland, national spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, in an interview with the Star.

“They come closer in for food sources, and as we encroach on their natural habitats, as we build more roads and subdivisions, we’re going to see more encounters with wildlife and so that’s why people need to ideally try to protect themselves as best as they can,” he said.

Holland said if a coyote doesn’t flee, a person should remain calm, slowly back away and leave in the direction they came. “Ideally never run from a coyote or any wildlife because it may trigger a predatory response and have them give chase,” he said.

“Wildlife has made a comeback in many cities, particularly because of the development we’ve done in more wooded areas,” he said.

“We’ve moved into their habitats, but in some cases they’ve expanded their range to live and adapt in the core of our cities ... These are wild animals. They really need to be treated with respect so we can all peacefully coexist.”