Coyote killed after repeatedly charging toddlers at San Francisco Botanical Garden, city says

A coyote that charged toddlers at the San Francisco Botanical Garden on at least five occasions has been killed, city animal control officials say.

Federal wildlife officers killed the coyote Friday in Golden Gate Park, where the garden is located, after being called in by the city, KNTV reported.

City officials said the coyote, which had charged at toddlers in the garden at least five times in the past 10 months, posed “a serious threat to public safety,” KPIX reported. The city did not say if any of the children were hurt, according to the station.

Two incidents happened in the fall, and three more in June, Virginia Donohue, executive director of San Francisco Animal Care & Control, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

The coyote, notable for a scar on its muzzle, had been spotted around San Francisco since 2016, according to the publication.

“It saddens us that this outcome was 100 percent caused by humans feeding and befriending this animal,” Donohue said in a statement, KTVU reported. The coyote lost its fear of people.

Officials told KPIX that some people had left platters of meat out for the coyote. Someone else had left out two dozen bagels for the animal.

“I appreciate that they think they’re helping — they’re not helping,” Donohue told the station. “There’s no food shortage for coyotes in San Francisco. There’s food all over the joint. There’s gophers, there’s moles.”

Dozens of coyotes are believed to live in San Francisco. Sightings of the animals became more common during the pandemic lockdown.

This story was originally published July 19, 2021 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Coyote killed after repeatedly charging toddlers at San Francisco Botanical Garden, city says."