Mangy coyote spotted in Ahuntsic-Cartierville

The city of Montreal hopes to trap a coyote afflicted with mange that has been spotted several times in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, borough mayor Émilie Thuillier said Thursday.

The animal, which limps and is losing patches of fur, is unlikely to pass on the skin disease to humans or pets, Thuillier said.

“The risk of transmission is very low,” she said.

However, it’s important to keep dogs on a leash and never to approach or feed a coyote if you see one, she added.

Mange (scabies) is a skin disease caused by parasitic mites that can be transmitted to humans and other animals.

A worrisome aspect of this particular coyote is that it appears not to be afraid of humans, she said

Wildlife workers hope to trap the animal, which will probably then be euthanized, Thuillier said.

The fact that it’s infected with the disease could suggest the coyote population has become overcrowded, she said. But it’s hard to know for sure because there are no reliable statistics on coyotes, which roam in every part of the city, particularly in large parks, including Mount Royal, she said.

Since June 2017, there have been 1,406 sightings of coyotes, of which 894 were reported since the city set up a hotline to report the wild canines on April 11, 2018.

However, many of the sightings are of a single animal, Thuillier said.

While most were spotted in or near large parks in the north-end borough, they exist across the island, she said.

The city has contracted out the surveillance and trapping of coyotes to wildlife-management experts Groupe Prévost-Fortin Inc.

In December, the city unveiled a coyote-management plan that includes trying to scare the animals away from problem areas, euthanizing animals that have become aggressive and encouraging residents to better manage food waste to avoid attracting them.

The plan emphasizes coexistence and public education because research has shown that attempts to exterminate or relocate them are almost always unsuccessful, according to the city.

If you encounter a coyote, yell and wave your arms to appear larger. Do not turn and run, as this can trigger a coyote’s hunting instinct.

Report coyote sightings by calling 438-872-COYO (2696) or online. mscott@postmedia.com