Whats behind recent aggressive coyote encounters in Calgary?
Send this page to someone via email  A wildlife expert is providing some insight on what might be behind a number of aggressive coyote encounters in Calgary recently, with one unusually bold animal believed to have bitten people in the community of Nolan Hill. According to University of Calgary geography professor Shelley Alexander, its denning season for coyotes and they have young pups theyre intensely protective of, which could partly explain their behaviour. While it may involve things that appear aggressive  doing things like snapping teeth and growling  its actually about getting you to go away rather than viewing you as prey, she said. Alexander, who has been studying human interactions with wildlife for about 30 years, says humans are encroaching on more animal territory, which also means they may inadvertently find themselves near a coyote den without realizing its there, leading to unpleasant and sometimes dangerous interactions. Story continues below advertisement  Its not an abnormal thing to see an increase in events this time of year because it has to do with denning and pup-rearing. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's not an abnormal thing to see an increase in events this time of year because it has to do with denning and pup-rearing." What is abnormal is attacks where people have been bitten, Alexander said, adding that on average, fewer than three people a year in Canada are attacked by a coyote. 1:50 Coyote believed to be responsible for 3 attacks in Calgary to be killed Coyote believed to be responsible for 3 attacks in Calgary to be killed  She said in the cases where coyotes have been spotted acting aggressively in Calgary neighbourhoods, its likely because the animals have been conditioned to seek out human food, whether because theyve been fed or because theyve previously found food in the area. Alexander also said in most cases where bold coyotes approach humans, the person is walking a dog, which means dog owners should be especially vigilant about keeping their pets on a leash and getting out of the area as quickly and safely as possible if a coyote appears. Story continues below advertisement  One of the things I hear is: I had my dog on-leash and the coyote still came out. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "One of the things I hear is: 'I had my dog on-leash and the coyote still came out.' The distinction here is that if your dog is on-leash and youre too close to the pups or the den, its still going to provoke a reaction from the coyotes because they want you out of there.  Alexander advises anyone who encounters a coyote while out for a walk or spending time in a park to quickly  but more importantly, safely  get out of the area. People have time to stand and videotape themselves and what they need to be doing during that time is bringing the dog in very close moving out of the area, Alexander said. Read more: Calgary dog owner warns others about coyotes after his pet was killed  (The coyote) may continue to follow them until theyre out of a comfortable zone and thats called escorting. Alexander said people should maintain eye contact and slowly and carefully get out of the area. She also said people can carry something foreign in the environment, like a plastic bag, which they can make a lot of noise with to scare the coyote away. Advertisement