Same coyote attacked four people including two toddlers, California authorities say

The same coyote has attacked four people in two urban California communities, and authorities are trying to track down the stealthy canine to prevent a fifth, outlets report.

Using DNA evidence taken from bites suffered by victims in Moraga and Lafayette, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife determined just one coyote is responsible for the string of attacks that started in July, McClatchy News previously reported.

Officials found that same DNA in the wounds left to a 3-year-old Moraga girl on Tuesday, SFGate reported.

The coyote attacked without any warning, but the girl’s mother was able to scare the opportunistic predator off, McClatchy reported. It slinked northward on Calle La Montana and hasn’t been seen since.

“A lot of us were suspicious that it was the same animal, as the vast majority of coyotes are shy and people aren’t going to see them, but we have to exhaust all our resources to determine the connection … that’s why all our DNA work was done,” Fish and Wildlife Capt. Patrick Foy told SFGate.

Earlier this month, a Moraga man was running at a high school track when the coyote snuck up and plunged its teeth into his calf, KPIX reported. After the initial shock, he started hitting the animal in the face and it let go, then disappeared.

A few weeks before the track attack, a Lafayette grocery store worker suffered a surprise assault, McClatchy reported.

In July, authorities temporarily closed down Moraga Commons Park after the coyote took a pass at its first known victim, a 2-year-old boy standing near the park restrooms, according to KPIX. Injuries were minor.

Coyotes are generally timid around people, preferring to avoid them entirely. Attacks are rarely fatal and fairly uncommon -- but according to the University of California, they may be growing more frequent.

“There appears to be a trend of an increasing number of such incidents,” researchers said in 2013, pointing out that of the more than 300 attacks recorded since the mid-70s by non-rabid coyotes, about 75% happened between 2000 and 2012.

In a 2009 study conducted by Ohio State University, researchers collected reports of coyote attacks from 1960 to 2006, analyzing a total of 142 reports accounting for 159 bite victims.

If approached or followed by a coyote, be loud and make yourself look as big as possible, McClatchy reported. Look and act like the opposite of prey.

Don’t ever feed coyotes, researchers warned. Even if you don’t think you’re feeding them, you may be doing so by leaving food out for other animals, from birds to stray cats to raccoons -- all tempting prey for a hungry coyote, and good reason to frequent your neighborhood.

Spot a coyote that is aggressive, seemingly unafraid of you or other people? Report it immediately to local wildlife authorities.

This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 9:27 PM with the headline "Same coyote attacked four people including two toddlers, California authorities say."