Burlington, Ont., residents are being warned that coyote mating season has begun, which means they’re more likely to be out and about during the day.
It’s a message that has extra meaning behind it after seven unprovoked coyote attacks on residents in Burlington last summer.
City council voted to adopt a coyote response strategy to deal with the attacks and increase messaging about not feeding wildlife.
Since that happened, the city’s director of building and bylaw said there have not been any more incidents.
“We dealt with overflowing bins in parks and on private properties, we started mitigating the risks from overflowing garbage and intentional feeding, and we drastically saw a sharp decline in the attacks and we haven’t seen them come back,” said Nick Anastasopoulos.
There were no fines issued for feeding wildlife last year because there was no actual evidence of who might have been leaving out food on local trails for the coyotes, but Anastasopoulos said public outreach seems to be doing the trick.
That’s why the city is continuing to highlight the coyote issue in its messaging to the public, most recently by raising awareness about mating season — which is now underway and may result in residents seeing coyotes during daylight hours, looking for food or for a mate.
Anastasopoulos said it’s not clear how long mating season will last, as it can vary from animal to animal, but he said it’s seasonal and traditionally begins at the start of the year.
Mating season can also overlap with coyotes building dens, which is when they will get territorial.
“That’s where the parents become more aggressive in regards to protecting their pups, just like any domesticated animal would,” said Anastasopoulos.
“They set up their nests within culverts or ravines, so anyone that’s potentially walking by, the parent can come out and interact with an animal or a resident because they think we’re trying to harm their pups.”
Residents can help prevent coyotes from visiting their properties by doing the following:
- clean up around or remove bird feeders which attract rodents, one of the coyote’s main food sources
- store garbage, compost, and pet food securely in a place coyotes cannot access
- install flashing lights, motion sensors, and/or noise makers outside your property
- make sure spaces around and under decks and sheds are closed off
If you come across a coyote that seems aggressive and begins to approach you while you’re out walking with a pet or child, officials recommend these tips:
- stop, stand still, and pick up small children or pets
- make yourself appear larger by waving your hands in the air and make noise by shouting, clapping your hands or blowing a whistle
- use hazing techniques, such as popping open an umbrella, shaking your keys, or throwing an object near the coyote
- slowly back away and never run from, or turn your back on, a coyote
More tips for keeping safe during coyote encounters are listed on the city of Burlington’s website.