Coyote cull would cause population boom: minister
Posted Mar 12, 2010 05:50:28 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Natural Resources minister says he will not order a cull of coyotes, despite a record number of reported sightings and encounters.
John MacDonell says killing off part of an animal population can actually lead to a boom because there’s more food and habitat left for the survivors.
“That means the remaining population has more food available to it, that means the females generally would be in better condition,” he said. “If they’re in better condition they ovulate more, and you get higher numbers in your litters.”
Three schools in the province have reported coyotes close to their property recently, but MacDonnell says his staff will only kill the wild dogs if they pose a threat to someone.
A release from Natural Resources says the risk of a coyote attack is extremely low, with only a few incidents reported in the last 30 years.
A list of tips to discourage coyotes can be found on the government’s website.
