Sightings of the Sunnidale coyotes have become a distraction from the current times, but those who enjoy seeing their furry friends are mourning one of them this week.
Earlier this week, the body of a coyote was found in a grassy area off of Cundles Road. It was likely the victim of being hit by a vehicle.
Lori Aylwin lives near Sunnidale Park, where coyotes have been spotted in recent weeks. Aylwin said she discovered the coyote on her way to work; it was bleeding from the nose and mouth area.
“At first, I wasn’t sure if it was dead, but as I got closer I could tell it wasn’t alive,” said Aylwin. “I called the city to let them know. It was very sad and I’ve actually been thinking about it all week.”
City of Barrie Enforcement Services staff said they were notified of the incident and picked up the coyote, which they confirmed had been hit by a car.
Enforcement Services respond to calls to remove dead animals from city property. The department had no further information about the sex of the animal or if it did indeed live in the park.
In early August, BarrieToday received a video of a coyote running through the park and several people commented about how they’d seen one or two coyotes earlier.
Aylwin is hopeful the dead coyote wasn’t the same one she has often seen. But, she concedes, it might be as there haven’t been any sightings since Monday.
“I haven’t seen any of the coyotes since before Monday morning, so it is a bit sad that the one I saw on the side of the road may be one of them,” said Aylwin. “It had kind of become our COVID entertainment. While we’re all finding things that keep us happy, seeing the animals cut through the cemetery or the park has been a joy.”
While many have been concerned about safety with coyotes around, the Ministry of Natural Resources website has tips for avoiding any incidents with the animals.
The City of Barrie is also installing a sign at Sunnidale Park today to remind residents about safety tips to deal with wildlife.
Aylwin said she hasn’t had any bad experiences and just does what is commonly advised.
“If you ignore them, they are likely to ignore you. They’re really fun to watch and very beautiful animals.”
