Coyotes attack three children in Canmore
Sean Myers and Paula Beauchamp, Calgary Herald
Published: Friday, December 14, 2007
Canmore parents are keeping a close eye on their kids after two children were attacked by a coyote at a crowded town party Wednesday.
In all, three children have been attacked in Canmore during the past week -- the only three such attacks in Alberta this year.
Two children were taken to hospital Wednesday night after a brush with a coyote at the community's annual Skate with Santa event.
Alberta Sustainable Resource Department spokesman Darcy Whiteside said a 10-year-old boy was bitten on the leg at the event at the Pond in central Canmore before adults chased the coyote away.
But the animal returned, later grabbing a two-year-old boy by the jacket before parents threw snowballs at the coyote to force it away.
"This is very rare and strange behaviour. It is not typical of a coyote," Whiteside said.
"These are the only reports we've had of a coyote attacking people this year."
Canmore resident Shanyn Young, who owns Rocky Mountain Bagel Co., said the incidents are upsetting.
"It is kinda scary," said the six-year resident. "We drove by the pond last night, it was packed. I can't believe a coyote would attack a group that big."
Young said she lives on the same street as a 13-year-old girl who was attacked by a coyote on Sunday.
The girl was attacked in the front yard of a house in the Larch neighbourhood, adjacent to the river valley and just north of Canmore's town centre.
Other children had left the yard when the coyote grabbed the girl by the coat. She was taken to hospital for treatment.
Young said she would no longer drag her six-month-old son Owen around on a sleigh.
"I'm putting that away. It's not worth the risk. You don't want a coyote jumping out at you."
Whiteside said the 10-year-old boy attacked at the Skate with Santa event was also taken to hospital bruised and with red marks on his leg, but the coyote had not punctured his skin.
The two-year-old was released from hospital with no reported injuries, Whiteside said.
Whiteside said RCMP later closed down Skate with Santa -- a traditional community event, complete with hot chocolate, hot dog stands and a skating Santa.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers kept the popular skating area closed Thursday.
They set out traps and spent the day monitoring the park to see if the coyote would return.
"We don't know if it's the same coyote (from Sunday's attack) but it is a possibility," said wildlife officer Ron Wiebe.
"We believe this is a habituated animal."
Wiebe said coyotes living in the valley have learned that Canmore is a food source, a place where they might find tasty morsels, including pet food.
"They've also become accustomed to people to a degree where the noise and excitement of an outdoor gathering may actually attract their attention rather than scare them off," said Wiebe.
Canmore Mayor Ron Casey said the Skate with Santa incident was "pretty disconcerting" for anyone with small children.
"It was in the middle of town, where you'd think you would be pretty safe having your kids playing off to the side," he said.
"Obviously this animal is way over the top as far as habituation is concerned, given the number of people who were there at the time."
Casey said he hoped fish and wildlife officers would be able to deal with the situation.
"It is unusual. We have coyotes becoming bold, but I can't remember one ever touching a person before," Casey said.
Residents say the number of coyotes living inside the town limits is also growing.
Justine Farfard, an employee at Young's coffee shop who has lived in Canmore for 13 years, said there's always been coyotes living in the area, but she's never seen them attack humans.
"I've never heard of coyotes attacking people here until this year," said Farfard. "They're definitely around, but I've never heard of attacks in town. That's crazy."
Some residents, however, said living with coyotes is just a fact of life in a mountain community.
"It's normal," said Rob Gwilliam, an eight-year resident. "You see them every year. They're always around. I lost a cat to them."
But 23-year resident Val Norman said coyotes this year look bigger than usual.
pbeauchamp@theherald.canwest.com
smeyers@theherald.canwest.com
© The Calgary Herald 2007
Sean Myers and Paula Beauchamp, Calgary Herald
Published: Friday, December 14, 2007
Canmore parents are keeping a close eye on their kids after two children were attacked by a coyote at a crowded town party Wednesday.
In all, three children have been attacked in Canmore during the past week -- the only three such attacks in Alberta this year.
Two children were taken to hospital Wednesday night after a brush with a coyote at the community's annual Skate with Santa event.
Alberta Sustainable Resource Department spokesman Darcy Whiteside said a 10-year-old boy was bitten on the leg at the event at the Pond in central Canmore before adults chased the coyote away.
But the animal returned, later grabbing a two-year-old boy by the jacket before parents threw snowballs at the coyote to force it away.
"This is very rare and strange behaviour. It is not typical of a coyote," Whiteside said.
"These are the only reports we've had of a coyote attacking people this year."
Canmore resident Shanyn Young, who owns Rocky Mountain Bagel Co., said the incidents are upsetting.
"It is kinda scary," said the six-year resident. "We drove by the pond last night, it was packed. I can't believe a coyote would attack a group that big."
Young said she lives on the same street as a 13-year-old girl who was attacked by a coyote on Sunday.
The girl was attacked in the front yard of a house in the Larch neighbourhood, adjacent to the river valley and just north of Canmore's town centre.
Other children had left the yard when the coyote grabbed the girl by the coat. She was taken to hospital for treatment.
Young said she would no longer drag her six-month-old son Owen around on a sleigh.
"I'm putting that away. It's not worth the risk. You don't want a coyote jumping out at you."
Whiteside said the 10-year-old boy attacked at the Skate with Santa event was also taken to hospital bruised and with red marks on his leg, but the coyote had not punctured his skin.
The two-year-old was released from hospital with no reported injuries, Whiteside said.
Whiteside said RCMP later closed down Skate with Santa -- a traditional community event, complete with hot chocolate, hot dog stands and a skating Santa.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers kept the popular skating area closed Thursday.
They set out traps and spent the day monitoring the park to see if the coyote would return.
"We don't know if it's the same coyote (from Sunday's attack) but it is a possibility," said wildlife officer Ron Wiebe.
"We believe this is a habituated animal."
Wiebe said coyotes living in the valley have learned that Canmore is a food source, a place where they might find tasty morsels, including pet food.
"They've also become accustomed to people to a degree where the noise and excitement of an outdoor gathering may actually attract their attention rather than scare them off," said Wiebe.
Canmore Mayor Ron Casey said the Skate with Santa incident was "pretty disconcerting" for anyone with small children.
"It was in the middle of town, where you'd think you would be pretty safe having your kids playing off to the side," he said.
"Obviously this animal is way over the top as far as habituation is concerned, given the number of people who were there at the time."
Casey said he hoped fish and wildlife officers would be able to deal with the situation.
"It is unusual. We have coyotes becoming bold, but I can't remember one ever touching a person before," Casey said.
Residents say the number of coyotes living inside the town limits is also growing.
Justine Farfard, an employee at Young's coffee shop who has lived in Canmore for 13 years, said there's always been coyotes living in the area, but she's never seen them attack humans.
"I've never heard of coyotes attacking people here until this year," said Farfard. "They're definitely around, but I've never heard of attacks in town. That's crazy."
Some residents, however, said living with coyotes is just a fact of life in a mountain community.
"It's normal," said Rob Gwilliam, an eight-year resident. "You see them every year. They're always around. I lost a cat to them."
But 23-year resident Val Norman said coyotes this year look bigger than usual.
pbeauchamp@theherald.canwest.com
smeyers@theherald.canwest.com
© The Calgary Herald 2007
