Stanley Park to close from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. amid ongoing coyote attacks

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — As part of an ongoing effort to reduce the number of coyote attacks in Stanley Park, the green space will be closing even earlier every night and will be off-limits in the early hours of the morning.

The closure, announced Tuesday, comes as dozens of people have been bitten in the park over the past few months. Barricades will be set up to block off main entrances, and rangers will patrol the seawall and turn away anyone whose presence is not essential.

Donnie Rosa, general manager of the Vancouver Park Board, says people have been descending on the park and feeding the animals.

“Essentially some folks who were bringing in raw chicken, bird feed, cat food and trying to get pictures and trying to get up close with either raccoons or coyotes,” he explained, adding this is currently under investigation.

“Whether you’re feeding the coyotes or feeding a rodent, you’re contributing to the feeding of coyotes the desensitization for the coyotes toward humans.”

Preventing access to the seawall is something the park board is also prioritizing, and joggers and runners are being reminded of the risk.

“They really shouldn’t be on the seawall. These coyotes are coming out because they see humans as providers of food. So, if you’re running on a seawall they think you’re gonna feed them,” he says.

“One of the things you don’t want to do is run away from a coyote, you want to make sure you face it, and you’re large and you make noise.”

Rosa says the park board is supporting the province, and more steps to minimize “interactions” between humans and coyotes will be announced soon.

“Hopefully, we’re gonna have some greater solutions in the next few days, but this is a top priority for all of us,” he says.

Anyone who is in the park and encounters a coyote, or sees someone feeding wildlife, is asked to call the BC Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277.

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