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Coexisting with Coyotes Spring Newsletter, 2009
The Stanley Park coyote, a tail of bushy proportions
By: Phil Dubrulle
Co-existing with Coyotes Coordinator
Back In early December 2008, I received a call from someone wanting to report a coyote sighting. Now, I handle 5-6 such calls a day, but what peaked my interest in this case was the location the coyote was sighted. As it turns out it was sighted in Stanley Park, very close to our offices here at the Dining Pavilion.
Knowing that there is a coyote frequenting the park prompted Co-existing with Coyotes staff to take action by putting up posters and distributing brochures to park partners, users and staff in an effort to draw awareness to what a coyote looks like, what attracts coyotes and what to do if one is encountered.
Over the next few weeks I received calls from Park Info Booth staff, dog walkers, gardeners, SPES Staff and Park Rangers who had spotted the coyote mostly between Beaver Lake and Lost Lagoon and around the Park Board office at 2099 Beach Avenue. Initially, people reported seeing the coyote carrying squirrels in its mouth while others reported it simply being curious.
At the beginning of the New Year we received reports that suggested that the coyote was displaying a 'no-fear' attitude towards people. The Stanley Park coyote was becoming habituated and when coyotes start to lose their fear of people there is a greater potential for a coyote-human conflict.
I was able to observe the coyote first hand one morning when I was startled by someone shouting from across the other side of our offices "Hey Phil, come quick!" Our Executive Director, Patricia Thomson, had spotted the Stanley Park coyote from her office window.
I went out the door, camera in hand. My goal was to locate it and scare it so that it regained its fear of people. However, when I got outside the coyote was nowhere to be seen. It vanished in less than 30 seconds, and I found myself muttering a well-worn phrase. "Where did that wily coyote go?"
Experience as an amateur nature photographer and my recent foray into the world of birding has taught me to use my ears in conjunction with sight. I noticed that there was a noisy bunch of crows west of the SPES offices and they were very clearly sounding alarm calls as they do when a threatening animal such as a bald eagle or perhaps... a coyote disturbs them? I ran up the stone steps to a clearing below the tree canopy and saw the noisy crows dive-bombing the source of their troubles. The coyote was trotting at a leisurely pace heading north. I also noticed that it was carrying a dark object its mouth, which as it turns out, was an unlucky eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) that had become a coyote meal.
The coyote proceeded across Pipeline Road, trotted down towards the Stanley Park service yard, and headed towards South Creek trail. By this point it was trotting at a faster pace, and I was struggling to keep it in sight. By the time I reached the trail entrance I had lost sight of it altogether. I decided to continue in hopes of picking up its trail and within my first 20 paces I noticed something moving in the forest north of the trail. I carefully negotiated my way through the forest so as not to damage any of the under story and came across the coyote just meters away in the process of burying its meal. (Ironically, this is the same food stashing strategy that the squirrel uses).
I had finally caught up to it. It was no more than 7m away and it did not seem bothered by my presence. It was clear that this coyote was not afraid of humans. I made myself look bigger by raising my arms straight up and over my head and proceeded to shout in a deep, loud voice: "GO AWAY COYOTE." That did startle the coyote and it fled towards the trail in an effort to thwart this crazy shouting human. I diligently continued shouting, "Go away coyote!" and it continued running away while constantly keeping a distance of approximately 10 m between us.
I followed the coyote along South Creek Trail until it veered off and sauntered along a fallen log back into the protection of the forest. Knowing that coyotes are less comfortable in forested areas and more inclined to roam open spaces I had a feeling it was going to emerge in the open garden space near the park causeway. I circled around and sure enough out came the wild canine.
Do you want to know what happened next? You can view this final portion of the encounter by following this link: Coyote Encounter Video. Simply click on the first video in the in the series.
This coyote encounter reveals a lot about how coyotes make use of the interface region that separates woodland spaces from developed areas. This encounter is also a prime example of how coyotes typically behave when met with an aggressive display; they run away and they don't retaliate, unless they feel trapped or cornered.
It may surprise some readers that the Co-existing with Coyotes program encourages people to harass coyotes. Coyotes are opportunists and always learning, it's a major factor in their success. By harassing a coyote that shows no fear of people, or follows your dog, you send it a message that they have been recognized and that they need to keep their distance. Without a reasonable fear of people, coyotes and other urban wildlife will often become habituated, thereby increasing the potential for conflicts with humans. The most common conflicts involve a coyotes attacking pets.
Less than two weeks after I first encountered the Stanley Park coyote, the same coyote attacked a small off-leash dog in a grassy clearing near the Rose Garden in Stanley Park. As pet owners ourselves, SPES staff wish to express our deepest sympathy towards the pet owner involved in the incident. It is important to note that coyotes do not see pets the way we do, they see them as a food source.
This latest pet attack serves as a good example of why everyone, not just pet owners, need to take action when they sight a coyote. In an effort to better coexist with coyotes; our team frequently enlists the cooperation of willing community partners, such as Block Watch and dog walking groups, in harassing problem coyotes. The feedback we receive from these groups indicates that over time sightings and conflicts are substantially reduced when coyotes are consistently harassed. It is important to note that by harassing a coyote you are actually helping to protect it. If a coyote is seen as showing a pattern of predating mostly on pets or acts in a threatening manner towards people, it may be put down by Ministry of Environment, Conservation Officers.
Living with coyotes is like living with other urban wildlife, hardly a reason to panic but at the same time we must take reasonable precautions to keep our pets and ourselves safe. We trust that this article has been informative while revealing the importance of taking action next time you encounter a coyote. We ask for your assistance in further spreading the coexisting with coyotes message by forwarding this article or the Co-existing with Coyotes web page to your friends, family and colleagues.
Use the links to the left under the Co-Existing with Coyotes menu for more information on how you can make your very own Coyote Shaker, view recent videos of the Stanley Park Coyote, and see where coyotes have been sighted in your city.
