Durham police are urging parents to stay alert after a child was bitten by a coyote in Whitby, Ont.
The police released a public safety advisory on Tuesday following the incident where a toddler was attacked by the coyote in a public field close to a wooded area near Coronation and Rossland roads on Monday. The boy is now in stable condition after being taken to the hospital.
Since January 1, 2025, authorities have received around 50 reports regarding coyotes, which include five reported attacks. However, many incidents likely go unreported, according to Const. Nicholas Gluckstein.
He mentioned that the number of complaints filed with police has stayed fairly consistent over the last couple of years.
Kerry Bowman, a bioethicist and environmental studies lecturer at the University of Toronto, said it’s tough to pinpoint what’s causing these recent attacks.
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Bowman speculated that it might be due to various factors like people feeding coyotes and those animals “becoming accustomed to human presence.”
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Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories. Additionally, Bowman pointed out that coyotes have become more common in urban areas like the GTA compared to decades past. He emphasized that cities need to keep an eye on this situation, especially when kids are involved. “These children are quite young as well. So this is … very, very worrisome,” he added. “What’s very concerning with the recent attacks is that if there was ever a situation where a parent wasn’t watching a child, things could go very badly, very quickly.” More on Canada More videos Bowman also noted that coyotes tend to be drawn toward urban settings and finding ways for coexistence in these areas is crucial. The key issue is transparency, he stressed. “Parents have a right to know if there’s a threat, and we need to know what the facts are,” Bowman said. If you’re walking with kids or pets near wooded areas, police advise residents remain vigilant. Coyotes are most active during early morning and evening hours and may act aggressively if they feel threatened. If anyone sees a coyote in populated areas, they should report it to law enforcement so officers can monitor activity and notify municipal partners or animal services if needed, Gluckstein stated. Story continues below The police also suggest making yourself “as large as possible and make as much noise as possible” if you encounter an approaching coyote in order to scare it away. & copy 2026 , a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.Source link
