City blames rise in Burlington coyote attacks on human feeding

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is attributing a rise in the number of coyote attacks in Burlington to human behaviour.

The City of Burlington says there have been six unprovoked coyote attacks this year. Wildlife experts told city officials that the incidents are all connected to one coyote family dependent on people for food.

“When people feed coyotes, intentionally or unintentionally, coyotes become familiar with humans, are no longer afraid of humans and show more and more aggressive behaviour, as is being seen in south central Burlington,” the city said in a statement Tuesday.

“This creates an environment where wildlife is conditioned to be comfortable with direct human interaction and may come to depend on humans for food.”

The city says it has received reports and photos of a bushel of corn and frozen meals left on the Centennial Trail close to the site of the last attack.

“This must stop as it is attracting and conditioning the coyotes to be reliant on human feeding, leading to aggression and attacks on residents,” it said.

Wildlife experts say the coyote killed following the first three attacks is believed to be the father, who may have taught the other coyotes in the family to behave this way.

As soon as it is learned, they say it becomes ingrained and the behaviour cannot be changed.

“Once a coyote crosses the boundary of acceptable interaction with humans the coyote must be eliminated for public safety, due to a situation they did not initiate,” the city said.

The ministry told the city this family of aggressive coyotes is likely roaming within a two to three square kilometre area even though they are known to travel up to 15 square kilometres. Since coyotes are territorial, the experts advise this is one family creating this cluster of isolated attacks.

Residents are being asked to report their concerns about feeding of wildlife to Animal Control at animalservices@burlington.ca or 905-335-3030, and are reminded that hand and ground feeding wildlife on private or public property is prohibited by the City’s Lot Maintenance Bylaw (49-2022) and is subject to a fine.