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Urban coyotes play a natural and beneficial role in the city as scavengers who help manage rodent and small mammal populations.
When a coyote makes contact with you or your pet or is exhibiting fearless or aggressive behaviour, always call 311.
It is also important to call 311 when:
Most calls to 311 we receive about coyotes do not require intervention from the city. These calls usually report sightings of coyotes exhibiting typical, non-alarming behaviour (for example: hunting and catching small rodents, following you or your pet at a distance of more than 40 metres, curiously gazing at you or your pet from a distance).
When an incident with a coyote is reported, we investigate and determine if a problem exists. An appropriate course of action is then taken. Depending on the circumstances, this can include monitoring the area for future reports, public education, putting up warning signs or using other coyote behaviour management strategies such as ‘hazing’. Lethal management of coyotes is always done as a last resort.
Information is logged to support ongoing analysis and identify hotspots of coyote activity.
Report is flagged for review by Park Rangers. Follow-up action may occur such as light hazing.
Area will be monitored for similar reports.
Park Rangers will investigate the location, may conduct hazing of coyote(s) and recommend actions by residents.
Park Rangers will investigate, and lethal removal of coyote may occur.
To prevent coyote attacks on humans, modern wildlife management focuses on behavioural conditioning (also called ‘hazing’ or ‘aversive conditioning'). This practice tries to change an animal’s behaviour by making every human-coyote encounter unpleasant for the animal. This method only works if we all respond to coyote encounters aggressively. If a coyote does approach, make it feel unwelcome. They should not feel comfortable around us.
The presence of coyotes in our city is a sign of a healthy, balanced ecosystem. Coyotes are naturally curious and intelligent animals. It is common to see them travelling in parks, green spaces, roads and sidewalks while watching people and pets at a distance.
However, coyotes that have been desensitized to humans through food conditioning or coyotes protecting their dens or pups from off-leash dogs may become aggressive.
Coyotes are naturally afraid of people. But, when they eat food from yards, they become too comfortable around people and may display concerning behaviour. In addition, coyotes can carry a parasite called Echinococcus multilocularis that can be harmful to people.
You can help deter coyotes and other wildlife from your yard by:
Coyotes thrive without human food. But when fed by people, they are prone to disease and parasites, become too comfortable around people and may become aggressive.
Coyotes can be territorial and could consider your dog a threat. Coyotes may try to draw a dog away and attack it to eliminate the threat. Keeping your dog close on a leash at all times is the best way to ensure its safety.
The City of Edmonton's Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw requires owners to prevent their cats and dogs from roaming free and unsupervised off of their property. By permitting your pets to roam free outside of your property, you provide the opportunity for a potentially serious encounter between your pet and a coyote.
Remember, your pets rely on you for their safety.
Learn more about coyotes from Park Ranger Seamus in our new e-learning module. Developed in partnership with the University of Alberta’s Edmonton Urban Coyote Project, this module will cover why coyotes are in our city and some facts about their behaviour including ways to prevent negative encounters with them and your pets.
| Telephone | In Edmonton: 311 Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311 |
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| Online | Contact 311 Online |
| TTY | 780-944-5555 and press 0 |
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| Phone | 780-644-5744 |
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