Arlington Police report two children were attacked by a coyote yesterday afternoon in Arlington: A two-year-old girl on Epping Street was bitten in the back and then briefly dragged by a coyote, then ten minutes later, another two-year old girl on Summer Hill Circle, about a half mile away, was scratched by a coyote.
Police say both girls were in their family yards.
Both attacks were less than a mile from where another child was attacked last month.
Both children were taken to an area hospital for evaluation and suffered injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
Officials believe that the same coyote was involved in both incidents. Officials searched the area in an effort to locate the coyote, and continue to work to keep track of coyote activity in the area.
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Comments
That coyote…
By Jim02130
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 1:44pm
Is really a crazy clown.
I hate to be right
By Lanny Budd
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 2:15pm
I have been telling you we have to eradicate these vermin before they start attacking kids. Well, they have started. Imagine what it will be like when the inevitable happens and there is a rabies epidemic in our urban coyote population.
Yea….
By Pete Nice
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 2:36pm
The sad thing is you need to get into the dens and kill the pups. These coyotes are breeding like crazy.
Sad all around but once kids start getting attacked in the day all bets are off.
or…
By Fenway Crank
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 2:39pm
u could watch your kids
Nah….
By Pete Nice
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 3:06pm
This goes beyond that. Once toddlers are getting attacked when the sun is out it’s time to take action.
Yeah
By gremies
Wed, 09/08/2021 - 12:02am
Let’s all gather at Tony’s joint at sundown. We'll knock back a few then we’ll take care of those coyotes. You bring your guns and pitchforks and I’ll bring the napalm. Yeah, we’ll show ‘em.
"Action"
By lbb
Wed, 09/08/2021 - 9:11am
"Action" targeted at actually solving the problem, not eradicating all coyotes.
You're not right
By anon
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 3:14pm
Eradicating coyotes because one animal, possibly sick, attacked two people is no different than arguing to eradicate all dogs and cats because they too sometimes bite or scratch.
The best thing the good people of Arlington can do is make a concerted effort to secure all trash bins and receptacles, so coyote (and rats) focus their efforts elsewhere.
On a side note, over the past 12-18 months I've noticed far more rabbit chipmunk in urban areas than in past years. Is the increase in coyote simply a Lotka–Volterra response?
If it’s one sick coyote that’s different…
By Pete Nice
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 3:27pm
But I’ve noticed that coyotes south of Boston have also ventured out during the day as well. My kids are big enough where I don’t have to worry about them (they seem to keep their distance from homes in general) but I’m not sure what’s going on in Arlington where kids are getting dragged away in the day time.
Kids are not being dragged away.
By Lee
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 4:33pm
Daytime activity is not unusual for coyotes
One child was “dragged briefly”, according to the report.
It does seem that there is one coyote acting in a very untypical manner. Most of the time coyotes are doing things that are beneficial to us by killing and eating vermin.
Oh only dragged “briefly”?
By Pete Nice
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 4:51pm
Oh my bad that sounds safe.
Let's not downplay it
By Tim Mc.
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 6:44pm
Pete was exaggerating a bit, but let's not pretend this is normal, expected, or acceptable behavior.
It isn't
By lbb
Tue, 09/07/2021 - 9:58am
It isn't. So go after the coyote that did it.
Let's also not pretend that every coyote in the Commonwealth is doing this, because if they were, you'd know it.
Coyotes being seen in the day is nothing new
By Tim Mc.
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 4:47pm
They're not as bold as the turkeys, but they've definitely been out and about for a while.
What we're seeing in Arlington is a coyote which:
All of these would call for euthanization of the animal, both to test for rabies and because if not rabid, it has decided that humans are food, and probably won't stop.
I suspect that increased boldness/decreased fear around humans is mostly cultural and partly individual learning, and could spread and change over time. This could lead to more animals deciding that young humans are food. I also suspect the correct solution in that case would be for people to chase coyotes away when they see them so that they keep their fear and their distance, but I defer to any actual experts on that. :-)
Eradicate a species? Um, okay
By anon
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 3:26pm
Eradicate a species? Um, okay.
Uh
By brianjdamico
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 4:44pm
Do you think this is some sort of organized assault? Perhaps the feds can open a RICO case against the coyotes.
sure, sure...
By Jerquad
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 5:35pm
It's not that I actually disagree with measures to curb the population growth of coyotes but "eradicate these vermin" literally transforms you into an outlandish cartoon villain and on principal I feel compelled to not agree with you.
You're not right, you're a
By ZachAndTired
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 9:58pm
You're not right, you're a fucking psycho. You don't eradicate a species because there is a rabid coyote in Arlington.
It's not psycho. There
By Refugee
Tue, 09/07/2021 - 1:41pm
It's not psycho. There exists a good number of people (who strongly prefer cats to dogs) who hate coyotes and would be pleased if they were eradicated.
And that...
By lbb
Wed, 09/08/2021 - 9:13am
...is psycho.
Well that's ok then
By lbb
Tue, 09/07/2021 - 1:26pm
What a good thing that you're not right, then.
Eradicating a species because one individual attacked a human is stupid and pointless. If you want to eliminate dangers to kids, get rid of unvaccinated and unmasked adults.
What is the remedy here? Can
By anon
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 2:31pm
What is the remedy here? Can the coyote be arrested?
Cut off his account
By Sock_Puppet
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 3:44pm
At ACME
Trap Spay Neuter Relocate (?)
By Von Trapp
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 3:07pm
Or go after humans who kill and injure far more people than coyotes.
By "accident" that is.
How many pedestrian deaths from people struck by trucks and automobiles so far this year?
Or bites from domesticated dogs?
My guess is they are much higher.
Priorities.
On the bright side, coyotes are better at jaywalking.
Reading this in a literal
By anon_wd
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 3:41pm
Reading this in a literal manner- How many pedestrian deaths are there from domesticated dogs?
I don't think they'd relocate
By Tim Mc.
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 6:46pm
an animal that has actually attacked a person. It would be euthanized.
In fact, they will not
By Notfromboston
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 8:24pm
In fact, they will not relocate any wildlife. There is a regulation or some such.
There are some wildlife that will be relocated
By ScottB
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 11:37pm
Bears would be an example of that.
not anymore
By cinnamngrl
Wed, 09/08/2021 - 7:00am
Relocation fails. the animal usually dies, and bears return to the original area. Sterilizations of feral cats works because they are not relocated.
Wild Turkeys?
By FakeBostonCharlie
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 3:51pm
Are they mean enough to tangle with a coyote?
A serious matter -- this coyote needs to be caught
By Tim Mc.
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 4:30pm
While most of the coyotes in the area are not dangerous (to people), this one is sick or in some other way has become a threat, and will succeed to catching and eating a child sooner or later. It needs to be trapped and euthanized.
I'm not sure *how* you'd do it, but I bet Animal Control has techniques for this. Probably a dog told to follow coyote scent. As for establishing that it's the right animal, I know that DNA-matching is sometimes used—there was a recent story with I believe a mountain lion being positively identified for an attack on a human. (Welcome to the future!) Hopefully there are some fur samples from the attacks.
here boy!
By anon
Mon, 09/06/2021 - 8:52pm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airforce_Airguns
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