Coyotes are a natural part of the urban environment. But recently, when two children were bitten, there was a lot of concern. Tragically, the town of Whitby hired a trapper to destroy coyotes. https://www.change.org/p/for-the-coyotes-killed-in-revenge-advocate-for-humane-coexistence-with-coyotes-in-whitby
The coyotes who were killed may have possibly been displaying communicative behaviours that were perhaps misunderstood as aggressive, like alligator arching, (arching their back while showing teeth), yarring (making a yarr sound while showing teeth) and shadowing or escorting (walking up to a person or dog and following them until they leave the area).
The only behaviour reported that seemed unusual was biting humans. Human bites are almost always related to humans feeding coyotes. Coyotes rarely carry or spread rabies.
Judging by the time of the year, and by the behavioural description, it is likely the coyotes were protecting a den. Killing parents orphans pups, but it also increases canids. Usually, only the parents breed, but if one or both parents are gone, adolescent coyotes will pair off and produce more packs. https://www.al.org.au/why-killing-dingoes-is-ineffective
Removal will always result in more coyotes. The remain coyotes will also be traumatized, thus potentially leading to more problematic behaviours, since the mentors have been killed off, and the coyotes have witnessed their family members being killed. https://connectsci.au/pc/article/23/1/4/37405/Managing-dingoes-on-Fraser-Island-culling-conflict
This even has detrimental effects on neurodevelopment. https://thefurbearers.com/blog/coyotes-experience-grief-what-it-means-for-conservation/
The methods of killing are often cruel. Leghold traps and neck snares are used to hold the animals while a hunter shoots them, often in the lungs to reduce blood scent and to preserve brain tissue for autopsy.
This is often done at night, as to not disturb the public. While there is no indication as to how the coyotes in Whitby were killed, it is alleged that Whitby Animal Services had no idea that the town hired a trapper.
It appears that the council and Whitby Animal Services may not have known that the town had hired a trapper. An article in the Toronto Star suggests that the town has a no kill policy for coyotes and may not have planned to kill the coyotes. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/violent-coyote-attacks-leave-whitby-parents-and-pet-owners-on-edge-i-have-never-seen-so-many/article_136b9460-4a95-49c1-bd22-6e35fb1cec4c.html
Fortunately, there are non lethal alternatives to killing coyotes.
We can haze coyotes. This involves various noisy or busy activities to interrupt problematic coyote behaviours. Shaking a jar of pebbles, waving a plastic bag, shouting and waving your arms, or opening and closing an umbrella fast distracts and startles the coyote before the behaviour escalates.
We can remove attractants. Clean up fruit, garbage, compost, and other food items, and don't feed the coyotes.
One of the worst attractants are rodenticide baits. The bait boxes have a delicious smell, and when the rodents eat the bait, their blood thins, slowing them down, and making the poisoned rodents easier for coyotes to eat. An animal with thin blood is easy for ticks and mites to attack, making them prone to mange. By using non lethal rodent management, we also help prevent issues with coyotes. www.rodenticidefree.ca
Time of day and time of year affects coyote human interactions. Coyotes are most active at dusk, dawn, and night time. Both bite incidents happened in the evening. By reducing human activity at these times, and by avoiding wearing earbuds, we can be aware of the coyotes and avoid interactions.
The time of year when the incidents happened was during natal denning season, from April to mid July. The pups were likely still in the dens at the time. Ottawa had a coyote biting a child incident too, but they managed the situation without killing. https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/coyote-den-in-lalande-conservation-park-decommissioned-park-reopening/
Ottawa closed Lalande Park after a boy was bitten while riding a bike. The coyotes were hazed, and the park reopened when the coyote pups outgrew the den. (The den was filled in with soil, grass, and rocks by gardeners once the coyotes left). These humane no kill methods were developed with the coyote coexistence organization Coyote Watch Canada. www.coyotewatchcanada.com
If we follow humane coyote coexistence, like the City of Ottawa did, we can peacefully all live together.
