Parks Canada said teams were searching Friday for a coyote that attacked a cyclist who was travelling along the Cabot Trail, in Cape Breton, earlier this week.
In an e-mailed statement, the parks service said an aggressive coyote bit a cyclist on the arm on Wednesday near Green Cove, in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
It said the animal crossed the highway, pursued the cyclist, and bit the rider after they had dismounted from the bike. Passing drivers tried to assist the cyclist, and the coyote was aggressive toward another person before the animal fled, Parks Canada said.
The bite victim was taken to a local hospital and released following treatment.
“Patrols of the area are ongoing with the intention to remove the animal,” Parks Canada said. “The public is advised to exercise caution and avoid walking or cycling in the area.”
The parks service also advised people against feeding coyotes or enticing the animals to come close to them.
Parks Canada says that people should not run away if approached by a coyote. Instead, they should maintain eye contact with the animal and try to appear bigger by waving their arms and shouting. The parks service says people should throw hard objects, such as rocks, at the animal to scare it off.
Coyote attacks in the national park are not uncommon, and a fatal attack occurred in October, 2009. Taylor Mitchell, a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Toronto, died hiking the park’s Skyline Trail. Her death was the second fatal coyote attack recorded in North America.