WILY COYOTES IN TOWN
Group manning phones will also educate public on importance of canines to area
Missy the coyote lives at Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue’s Ecomuseum, home to injured and orphaned creatures. But sightings of her wild counterparts on the island are increasing, Katherine Wilton reports, and the city is working to keep the animals, and people, safe.
Concerned about the number of coyote sightings on the island of Montreal, the city is adopting several measures to tackle the problem.
The city is not sure how many coyotes are roaming the island, but since last June, there have been 379 sightings. During that time, five people were bitten or snapped at and 10 dogs were attacked.
The city is setting up a hotline citizens can call to report coyote sightings or to obtain information on the wild canines.
“The coyote has been present in Montreal for decades and has adapted its behaviour to the urban environment,” said Émilie Thuillier, borough mayor in AhuntsicCartierville.
“Its presence close to residential areas is something we take seriously, and we are taking steps to manage the problem to ensure public safety.”
Thuillier said there is concern some coyotes might be losing their fear of people, possibly because they have been fed by humans.
City officials have been in contact with their counterparts in Denver and Vancouver to find out how other cities are dealing with the problem.
Educating the public about coyotes is key, Thuillier said during a news conference Tuesday. Cats should be kept inside at night and dogs should be on a leash in nature parks.
A team of experts will visit local daycares to educate children about coyotes and how to respond if you encounter one. More than 1,000 primary and secondary students have already participated in workshops about coyotes.
The city will also distribute information about the animals in local parks and go door-to-door in boroughs where coyotes are problematic, like Ahuntsic, St-Michel and St-Laurent.
As part of its plan to manage the coyotes on the island, a specialized firm will train interested citizens to startle or frighten away the animals.
Over the past few years, coyotes have been spotted in 11 Montreal boroughs, including the north end and on the West Island, provoking a debate about how to deal with the problem.
Last year, the city tried to trap and relocate the animals outside Montreal, but that practice proved to be ineffective because some of the animals returned.
If the local population is reduced by trapping and relocating, or by euthanizing the animals, the remaining population will compensate by having larger litters, said Frédéric Bussière, a biologist with the city.
The only coyotes that will be trapped and euthanized are ones deemed to be aggressive, he said.
Normally, coyotes, which often travel along railway tracks, fear humans and tend to prowl around at night.
Residents should not feed coyotes and should not litter or leave out edible garbage.
If you encounter a coyote, try to scare it away by clapping your hands or waving your arms. You can slowly back away to give it an escape route, but maintain eye contact.
If the coyote appears aggressive, you should look threatening and scream loudly, experts advise. Do not turn your back on it or run.
The Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, which is responsible for land wildlife management in the province, says the presence of coyotes in Montreal is “essential to maintaining the ecological balance of natural ecosystems.” Coyotes eat rodents and geese and help keep those populations down.
The hotline number is 438-872COYO (2696) and will be in operation starting on Wednesday. The phone line will be open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be staffed by employees of a non-profit group that educates the public about the environment.