One coyote trapped, killed in Stanley Park as cull begins

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — One coyote was captured and killed in Stanley Park overnight, the province reported Wednesday while providing more details about how the cull is being carried out.

The Ministry of Forests reports a “modified foothold trap” was used to “minimize the risk of pain or damage to the animal.” Cameras have been installed to signal when any traps are activated, so that wildlife officers can “attend and humanely euthanize the animals rapidly,” according to an email from a spokesperson.

The statement goes on to say that “relocation is not an option” because “coyotes are highly territorial and would be in direct conflict with whatever local population they were introduced to.” Since last year, 45 people have been attacked in the park, five of the attacks were on children. The province announced the cull last week, saying the trapping and killing of the coyotes is being carried out under the Wildlife Act. It’s expected to take two weeks and up to 35 coyotes could be killed.

“The decision to lethally remove the coyotes was not the Province’s first choice, and only comes after considerable effort into finding other alternatives to prevent the incidents,” the ministry spokesperson says, adding that a cull is not a long-term solution.

“Once the immediate risk to the public is resolved we will work to support the Vancouver Park Board in development of a long-term plan to support safety with wildlife in the park. These long-term plans will include working to implement strategies addressing human behaviour as well as the availability of food and garbage. These actions are essential to ‘reset’ the park environment for sustainable coexistence with the coyotes.”

The animals’ stomach contents will be examined after they are killed in order to “determine diet.” Tests will also be done to determine if the coyotes have rabies or any other disease.

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Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says work continues to make sure this cull doesn’t have to be repeated.

“It’s a really sad situation. It’s too bad that a number of residents, dozens, have been bitten by coyotes and it’s really sad that these animals are going to be killed. I don’t think it’s euthanized is actually culled. So, it’s not for their own good, it’s because I think we needed to do more and we’ll be reviewing this situation to see what the City of Vancouver can do to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” he says.

“I think we have to be better as a city. All of us, we have to make sure that we’re not feeding animals in parks and they’re not getting habituated to being around the public because, in the end, that’s what’s really caused this situation.”

Many animal rights groups have spoken out about the decision to euthanize some of the population, as well as B.C. musician Bryan Adams, who took to social media to criticize the cull.

A petition calling for the province to reconsider was created in recent weeks by a UBC applied animal biology student and it has already surpassed more than 19,000 signatures.

A vigil will be held on Sept. 15  from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vancouver Park Board headquarters.

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