Coyote attacks child at Massachusetts beach

On August 11, 2021 at approximately 8:30 pm, a coyote bit a small child on North Herring Cove Beach within Cape Cod National Seashore in Provincetown. The child was taken to Cape Cod Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Upon arrival, the rangers shot the coyote and it ran off. Based on the amount of blood they observed they were confident they had mortally injured the animal. They returned the following morning to locate and retrieve the coyote so it could be tested for rabies. They discovered the deceased coyote in thick dune vegetation approximately 50 yards from where the ranger shot it.

This summer, rangers have been responding to incidents of coyotes acting assertively toward people in attempts to obtain food. This behavior starts with people feeding the coyotes intentionally by leaving food out, or inadvertently by not removing food scraps and packaging from the beach. This leads to the animals becoming habituated and bold in attempts to obtain food. When wild animals lose their fear of people, they behave unpredictably and aggressively, resulting in injuries to people and a sad ending for the habituated animal.

Keep wildlife wild. Protect your safety and the safety of others. Do not feed or attract wildlife! Report assertive coyote sightings to rangers or the dispatch center at 617-242-5659.