Five-year-old boy attacked by coyote in Stanley Park

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A terrifying incident for a family in Vancouver’s Stanley Park left a young child with a coyote bite.

The BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) says the family was walking at Prospect Point at around 9:30 p.m Tuesday when the child ran ahead of the group. That’s when a coyote lunged and bit the five-year-old boy on the leg.

The parents managed to chase the animal away. The child was treated for minor injuries at the hospital and is now recovering at home.

“We recognize and understand the public is concerned about these incidents,” reads a statement from the BCCOS. “We are also concerned about the behaviour of coyotes in Stanley Park. No one wants to see anyone injured by a coyote, especially a child, and we are thankful he is recovering.”

There have been several of coyote attacks at Stanley Park this summer, including one less than two weeks ago that left a woman with scratches to her upper back and shoulders.

In mid-July, the BCCOS said there had been 30 such attacks causing injury to humans in the past eight months, including a two-year-old girl. She was bitten while walking with her family near the aquarium when a coyote suddenly attacked her last month.

All trails on the west side of the park were closed last month, following the attack the a toddler.

This incident prompted searches for the animals in Stanley Park, with four coyotes euthanized soon after. At the time, the conservation service said there may have been more aggressive coyotes left in the park.

• Related articles: 

  • ‘Use the park at your own risk’: Half of Stanley Park closed due to coyote attacks

  • Coyote attack in Vancouver’s Stanley Park injures woman

  • 2-year-old attacked by coyote in Stanley Park

  • Three people bitten by ‘aggressive’ coyote in Stanley Park

The BCCOS is urging you to stay out of the park, and to “use abundant caution” if you decide to do so, adding there is a “high risk” of coming across an aggressive coyote. It adds it is considering “all options to address and reduce coyote conflicts.”

Conservation officers will be patrolling Stanley Park on Wednesday and urge you to report aggressive coyote encounters to 1-877-952-7277.

A terrifying incident for a family in Vancouver’s Stanley Park left a young child with a coyote bite. https://t.co/sD3TfAbSJj pic.twitter.com/zig6fpH8X7

— CityNews 1130 Vancouver (Inactive) (@news1130) August 12, 2021