After receiving numerous complaints from residents, the Town of Drumheller will be working to reduce the number of coyotes that are running wild through parts of Drumheller.
Community Bylaw Enforcement will be trapping and relocating coyotes for the foreseeable future.
Greg Peters, supervisor for Community Bylaw Enforcement, has received complaints of the animals coming into their yards. However, it is difficult to ascertain if the local coyote population is increasing.
“There are a lot of coyotes and people have been noticing them. It’s been that way for several years,” said Peters. “People have been concerned and have reported seeing a lot of coyotes.”
Normally, Fish and Wildlife would handle the wild animals, but since the local officer retired, Community Bylaw Enforcement has been given a permit and tasked with trapping and relocating the coyotes.
“It came to our attention that it is an issue and we contacted Fish and Wildlife. They’re tied up and there’s no [Fish and Wildlife] officer posted in Drumheller right now. There’s a fellow out of Strathmore, but he’s busy with hunting season. We were issued a permit from the province to trap coyotes to get them to manageable numbers and see if there is a bump in their numbers,” said Peters.
Peters has experience dealing with wild animals.
“I was an RCMP officer and I spent some time in the north. During my time there, I helped Fish and Wildlife with bears, wolf trapping, and others,” said Peters. “It’s not a normal function for us, we’re attempting to assist Fish and Wildlife and report everything we do to them.”
Residents are asked to be on the lookout for coyotes within town limits. Areas they have already been spotted include Midland, North Drumheller, and Riverside.
Signs that a coyote has been in the area include footprints, feces, and raided garbage.
Residents are encouraged to contact Community Bylaw Enforcement should they suspect coyotes are frequenting the area. Pet owners should also supervise when their animals are outside.
“People can call bylaw enforcement if they have a concern, report coyotes, or if they want to have a trap on their property,” said Peters. “If someone notices any traffic or large numbers of coyotes let us know.”
Community Bylaw Enforcement can be reached at 403-823-1363.
