Coyote attack

Coyote attacks are events where coyotes attack humans. While these attacks are uncommon and rarely cause serious injuries, they have been increasing in frequency, especially in California. Although media reports generally identify the animals as simply "coyotes", some attackers in northeast North America may be hybrids known as coywolves.
A summary of the reported incidents below, as of 2023:

Fatal	People	Area	Time Period	Count
Yes	All	North America	All years	2
No	Minors	California	1978–2003	35
No	Adults	California	1979–2003	45
No	Minors	California	2010–present	15
No	Children	States outside California	1997–present	32
No	Teenagers	States outside California	2010–present	5
No	Children	Canada	2009–present	10
No	Teenagers	Canada	2003–present	5
No	Adults	California	2016–present	6
No	Adults	States outside California	2008–present	79
No	Adults	Canada	2010–present	19
No	Adults	Mexico	2018–present	1

Description and background

Coyote attacks on humans are uncommon events and rarely cause serious injuries, but have been increasing in frequency, especially in California. In the 30 years leading up to March 2006, at least 160 attacks occurred in the United States, mostly in the Los Angeles County area. Data from the United States Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other sources show that while 41 attacks occurred during the 10-year period of 1988–1997, 48 attacks were verified during the 6-year period of 1998 through 2003. The majority of these incidents occurred in Southern California near the wildland-suburban interface.
Coyotes are losing their fear of humans, which is further worsened by people intentionally or unintentionally feeding coyotes. In such situations, some coyotes have begun to act aggressively toward humans—chasing joggers and bicyclists, confronting people walking their dogs, and stalking small children.
Although media reports of such attacks generally identify the animals in question as simply "coyotes", research into the genetics of the eastern coyote indicates those involved in attacks in northeast North America, including Pennsylvania, New York, New England, and Eastern Canada, may have actually been coywolves, hybrids of Canis latrans and wolves.

List of attacks with human injuries

Fatal attacks

Two fatal coyote attacks on humans have been confirmed by experts:

On August 26, 1981, a coyote grabbed three-year-old Kelly Keen in the driveway of her father's home in Glendale, California, and dragged her across the road. Her father rescued her by chasing the coyote away and rushed her to a medical center, but she died in surgery due to blood loss and a broken neck.
On October 27, 2009, two eastern coyotes mauled 19-year-old singer-songwriter Taylor Mitchell at Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia, Canada. She was on a hiking break from her concert tour when they stalked and chased her down the Skyline Trail. An air ambulance airlifted her to a medical center, but she died a few hours later from severe injuries and blood loss. A study led by Senator Bernie Sanders to determine the factors that led to the attack found that extreme climate changes had caused most of the small animals the local coyotes normally ate to migrate away. This forced them to switch to hunting larger prey like moose and deer for almost the entirety of their diet. The researchers said unprovoked predatory attacks like this are very rare and seem to be linked to extreme ecological conditions.
Non-fatal attacks

On children

Coyotes are a greater threat to children than to adults. While their bushy hair can make them look quite large, coyotes rarely weigh more than. Also, they are less likely than other canids, such as wolves and dogs, to hunt in packs large enough to take down an adult human.

Non-fatal coyote attacks on minors in California (1978–2003)

A study published in 2004 documented 35 incidents in which a minor escaped likely "serious or fatal injury" if the minor had not been rescued. These included:

In Pasadena:
* In May 1978, a coyote bit the leg of a 5-year-old girl who was in the driveway of her neighbor's home.
* In May 1979, a young coyote grabbed the throat and cheek of a 2-year-old girl who had been eating cookies on her mother's porch.
* In July 1979, a coyote lacerated the leg of a 17-year-old girl who was attempting to save her dog from being attacked by a coyote.
In August 1979, a coyote attacked a 5-year-old La Verne girl. Her father and a neighbor saved the girl from being dragged into the bushes.
In July 1980, in Agoura Hills a 13-month-old girl was grabbed and dragged off by a coyote. She suffered puncture wounds to her midsection before being saved by her mother.
In August 1988, in Oceanside:
* A coyote nipped and bruised a 4-year-old boy who had been playing in his yard.
* A coyote grabbed a 3-year-old girl by the leg and pulled her down, then bit her on head and neck. The coyote was chased off by her mother and neighbors.
In June 1990, in Reds Meadow, a 5-year-old girl was attacked and bitten in the head while in a sleeping bag at a campground.
In May 1992, a coyote attacked a 5-year-old San Clemente girl, biting her several times on her back. The girl then climbed her swing set to escape, and her mother chased the coyote off.
In October 1992, in Fallbrook, a coyote bit a 10-year-old boy on the head while he was asleep on the back porch of a residence.
In Griffith Park:
* In March 1995, a coyote stalked and then knocked down 5-year-old girl twice. The girl was rescued by her mother.
* In July 1995, a coyote was chased away, but returned and bit the leg of a 15-month-old girl.
At University of California, Riverside:
* In June 1995, a coyote chased three boys, biting the 7-year-old.
* In November 1995, a coyote chased playing children, biting a 3-year-old boy.
In September 1995, a coyote attacked a 3-year-old Fullerton girl in her yard, biting her face, head and thigh.
In June 1996, in Los Altos, a coyote grabbed a 3-year-old boy by his hand and dragged him toward bushes. The boy's 15-year-old brother scared the coyote away. The child was treated for bites on his scalp and hand.
In February 1997, in South Lake Tahoe, a 4-year-old girl in a yard was attacked and severely bitten. Her heavy snowsuit protected all but her face. The girl was rescued by her father. The coyote stayed in the unfenced yard until it was shot by police.
In May 2000, in La Mesa, a 3-year-old boy was bitten on his side, resulting in 4 puncture wounds.
In June 2001, in Northridge, a 7-year-old girl was attacked and seriously injured by a coyote, despite her mother's attempts to fight off the coyote.
In July 2001, in Irvine, a 3-year-old boy was bitten by a coyote in the leg while playing in a yard. The attack was interrupted by his father, who was 10-20 feet away.
In October 2001, in San Clemente, a coyote attacked several children on a schoolyard. An 8-year-old girl was bitten on the back of her neck and scratched. A 7-year-old boy was bitten on his back and arm.
In November 2001, in San Diego, a coyote that a family had been feeding at their apartment bit their 8-year-old daughter.
In December 2001, in San Gabriel, a coyote bit a 3-year-old girl in the head, grabbed her shoulder and started to drag her away, but was chased off by her father.
In May 2002, in Anza-Borrego State Park, a coyote bit a boy, who was sleeping in a sleeping bag, on the head.
In May 2003, in Highland, a coyote chased a 2-year-old girl into a neighbor's garage, biting her on the arm.
In August 2003, in Apple Valley, a coyote attacked a 4-year-old boy on a golf course, biting him on the face and neck before he was rescued by his father.
Non-fatal coyote attacks on minors in California after 2003
On June 28, 2010, a coyote jumped on a 12-year-old girl in Spring Valley. The girl fell backwards and injured her elbow, but she was not bitten.
On July 18, 2013, at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cypress, a 2-year-old girl was attacked by a coyote while playing about ten feet away from her mother, who was visiting her grandmother's grave. The coyote grabbed the child and started to drag her off into the bushes, but dropped the child and ran away when "lunged at" by the mother. The child was hospitalized for a 2.5 inch gash to the leg and began precautionary treatment for rabies. Authorities killed three coyotes at the cemetery later that day. On October 9, the mother filed a lawsuit alleging that the cemetery was liable for not warning her of the risk.
On November 16, 2014, a woman claimed that her 4-year-old daughter was knocked down by a coyote outside her Hollywood home. After the attack, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigated but couldn't find any coyotes, and a local television news program described the attack as "alleged".
On December 25, 2014, in Fremont, a boy was bitten in an attack by an apparently sick coyote. He was rescued by his father. Before the attack, about a block away, the coyote had just bitten the leg of a man walking his children to his car outside a home. After the attack, the coyote chased and bit a jogger on a nearby street but ran away when kicked. The police arrived and shot the coyote, which tested negative for rabies.
On January 12, 2015, in Ladera Ranch, outside a baby girl's residence, a coyote with a limp tried to attack and grab the girl from her mother's arms. The mother fought the animal off enough to get inside to safety. After the attack, the coyote killed two dogs and was being pursued by authorities.
In Irvine:
* On May 22, 2015, a 3-year-old girl was picking up after their dog that she, her twin sister, and her mother had been walking, when a coyote ran out of a hedge and bit at the back of her neck. She was rescued by her mother and other nearby adults. Before the attack, a coyote had chased another girl in the area. After the attack, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife attempted to track and trap the coyote.
* On May 22, 2015, at Silverado Park, a 2-year-old girl was in her garage when the door was opened and a coyote in the driveway came in and bit her on the neck and cheek.
* On October 14, 2015, a 31-year-old man and his 3-year-old son were attacked by a coyote while they were in a garden.
* On October 9, 2016, a coyote bit a 6-year-old boy who was playing in Springbrook Park. The boy's father along with bystanders shouted at it and one woman threw sand.
On July 22, 2016, a coyote bit a 17-year-old girl on her leg at Grant Rea Park in Montebello.
On March 15, 2018, a 5-year-old boy in Los Angeles was bitten by a coyote on the California State University campus. Police officers shot it the next day.
On April 1, 2020, a coyote mauled a 5-year-old girl who was visiting Dublin Hills Regional Park with her family.
On March 12, 2021, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced it had captured and euthanized a coyote that had attacked five people in the towns of Moraga and Lafayette since July 2020. One of the children was a 2-year-old boy who was bitten on July 9, 2020 on the leg near Moraga Commons Park's restrooms.
On August 21, 2021, a coyote attacked a 4-year-old girl in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista. Her father chased it away.
On April 28, 2022, a coyote bit a 2-year-old girl on the face at Huntington Beach, several feet away from her mother. The coyote was tracked down and killed. The attack was captured on video.