A southern Ontario police force is issuing a public warning after a second young child was seriously injured in an “unprovoked” coyote attack just east of Toronto.
Durham Regional Police officers were called to Vanier Park in Whitby, Ont., after a two-year-old boy was attacked by a coyote while playing at the park’s playground at 8:30 p.m. on July 5, the police service said.
“The child sustained bite injuries to his face before his guardian and several bystanders were able to intervene and scare the coyote away,” police said in a July 6 advisory.
The boy sustained serious, non-life-threatening injuries, and was transported to a local-area hospital for treatment, police said.
Officers responded to another incident an hour later involving a coyote in a different part of the city. Police said the animal was located by residents in distress and was removed by officers.
“No physical injuries to residents have been reported in connection with this incident,” the advisory said.
The weekend attack on the two-year-old boy comes in the wake of separate coyote attacks in May that injured a child and a teenager in Markham, located directly northeast of Toronto, as well as a June 22 attack in a public field in Whitby.
Durham police disclosed few details about the June incident, stating only that a “very young male youth” was bitten by a coyote in a public field and was taken to a Toronto-area hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. The incident occurred near a wooded tree line roughly 2.5 kilometres west of the July 5 attack.
The force released a public safety advisory on X on June 23 after it said “several incidents” with coyotes had been reported.
Durham police issued a similar warning on its social media accounts and website this week, urging citizens to exercise caution and be observant when outdoors.
“While coyotes are a natural part of our local environment and incidents involving aggressive behaviour towards humans are rare, these encounters are taken very seriously,” police said. “Residents are urged to remain vigilant and proactive, particularly near parks, playgrounds, trails, and other natural areas, especially during the early morning and evening hours when coyotes are most active.”
Police are urging Whitby-area residents never to approach, feed, or try to interact with the animals. The force also suggests people keep their pets on a leash, supervise and “keep children close,” and eliminate food attractants such as unsecured garbage, pet food, bird seed, and fallen fruit.
“If you encounter a coyote, remain calm, do not run, make loud noises and wave arms,” the advisory added. “If approached, this will encourage them to leave the area.”
Police are also asking residents to report any sightings using Whitby’s online tracking tool or to call 911 if a coyote poses an immediate threat.
The police service said it is “working closely” with the Town of Whitby, Durham Region Health Department, and Whitby Animal Services, to investigate the attacks as well as to monitor coyote activity, and implement measures to reduce the risk of future encounters.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
