Despite plan to cull dozens of coyotes, Vancouver's Stanley Park fully reopens after only 4 killed
Officials planned to trap and kill dozens of Stanley Park coyotes during a two-week cull, but with only four of the animals euthanized, the park is still reopening on schedule.
The Vancouver Park Board said in a news release Tuesday that the popular park is once again fully accessible. All trails are open, and the overnight park closure is over.
The board said fencing set up to keep people out at night, and signs reminding them of the closures, will also be removed shortly.
Tuesday marks the end of the two weeks set aside for the province's Ministry of Forests to deal with the coyote problem in the park.
Dozens of people, including children, have been attacked since December 2019 by a population of coyotes thought to be too habituated to human activity to be relocated.
After trying other options, the ministry opted to set up traps through the area, planning to cull the population as a reset for the area.
The hope was once the problem animals had been captured and killed, any coyotes that remained or moved in would be able to co-exist with humans. At the same time, an education program would begin, with a focus on avoiding the behaviour that can lead to these situations.
Many voiced concerns about the plan, which the ministry estimated may result in the deaths of as many as 35 coyotes in the park.
But in the end, only four were killed during the cull. Combined with another seven coyotes killed by the B.C. Conservation Officer Service before the ministry-led cull began, a total of 11 have died.
In its statement Tuesday, the park board said experts think there are more coyotes living in the park, but that any immediate threat to safety has been addressed through the cull.
Visitors are still advised to be cautious, especially around dawn and dusk. Those who see a coyote should try to make themselves as large as possible, and should not run. They're advised to speak loudly and make noise, but not to scream.
Wildlife should not be fed, and any food waste should be taken home or disposed of properly. Wildlife-proof garbage bins have recently been installed in hopes this will also help reduce the number of coyote attacks.
Ministry staff will continue to monitor the situation in the park, the board said, and visitors may notice park rangers watching the behaviour of both humans and animals.
The park board said its staff is also reviewing city bylaws with an eye on enforcement, though feeding dangerous wildlife is already prohibited in B.C. under provincial regulations.
Anyone who witnesses an aggressive coyote, or who sees a person feeding coyotes, is asked to call the B.C. Conservation Officer Service to report it immediately, at 1-877-952-7277.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
'I killed four people': Trial hears video evidence of Jeremy Skibicki at Winnipeg trial
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.