INGONISH, N.S. 鈥� Parks Canada teams were searching along Cape Breton's Cabot Trail on Friday to catch and euthanize a coyote that attacked a cyclist earlier this week.
The parks service said an aggressive coyote bit a cyclist on the arm on Wednesday near Green Cove, in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The animal crossed the highway, pursued the cyclist, and bit her after she got off her bike, Parks Canada said.
鈥淪he dismounted her bicycle and used it as a shield to protect herself,鈥� Erich Muntz, the park鈥檚 resource conservation manager, said in an interview. 鈥淚n that exchange the coyote jumped and bit her in the forearm and she received a minor bite wound.鈥�
Muntz said a driver who was passing by got out of their vehicle and used a hiking stick or 鈥減ole of some kind鈥� to fend off the animal. The bite victim was taken to a local hospital and released following treatment.
鈥淭he individuals did really what was required even though it was difficult,鈥� Muntz said. 鈥淭he most important thing in these types of incidents is to be aggressive towards the coyote.鈥�
He said patrols were being carried out in the area of the attack, adding that some of those looking for the coyote were carrying firearms.
鈥淭his behaviour is not acceptable and the outcome for this is that we do hope to kill this animal and remove the bad behaviour from the gene pool,鈥� said Muntz, who added that the decision was made with 鈥渁ppropriate thought and consideration.鈥�
鈥淏ecause this is not the first time we鈥檝e had to deal with this we do have protocols in place,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n this circumstance, when a coyote makes contact with an individual, that triggers a response that justifies euthanizing an animal.鈥�
Coyote attacks in the national park are not uncommon, and a fatal attack occurred in October 2009. Taylor Mitchell, a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Toronto, died while hiking the park鈥檚 Skyline Trail alone. Her death was the second fatal coyote attack recorded in North America.
Muntz said he doesn't think Wednesday's attack was predatory in nature.
鈥淭here鈥檚 something about the (bike) noise or the movement that causes coyotes and dogs problems,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey seem to get into a chase sequence 鈥� it鈥檚 almost like a very primitive chase that they feel they have to do.鈥�
In a statement, the parks service advised the public to exercise caution and avoid walking or cycling in the area. It also advised people against feeding coyotes or enticing the animals to come close to them.
Parks Canada says people should not run away if approached by a coyote. Instead, they should maintain eye contact with the animal and try to appear bigger by waving their arms and shouting. The parks service says people should throw hard objects, such as rocks, at the animal to scare it off.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2023.
鈥� By Keith Doucette in Halifax.
The Canadian Press
