Coyote bites 6-year-old child in Burnaby park

For the second time in five days, a coyote has attacked a young child in the Lower Mainland.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service saysa 6-year-old girl was bitten by a coyote in Deer Lake Park in Burnaby around 10:15 a.m. Sunday during the Burnaby Blooms festival.

Theservice says the coyote stayed in the area following the attack until it was chased off by the child's parents.

The girl was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Both the B.C. Conservation Service and the Burnaby RCMP responded to the incidentbut were unable to locate the coyote.

The service and the City of Burnaby are now working together on educational signs, public outreach and patrols in the area.

"We cannot stress enough the importance of not feeding dangerous wildlife and will take enforcement action as warranted," said the service.

The attackfollows a separate violent encounter with a coyoteat Lions Park in Port Coquitlam on Wednesdaywhen a 2-year-old child was bitten.

The child was taken to hospital with minor injuries.The coyote was killed near the attack site, according to conservation officers.

The service saidan examination of the coyote revealed it had consumed "non-natural food sources," adding that people should not feed wildlife.

Coyote expert Sarah Benson-Amram,an assistant professor of forest and conservation sciences at the University of British Columbia, told CBC earlier this week that coyotes become bolder after being fedbecause they associate humans with a source of food.

As well, she saysit's denning season for coyotes, meaning they are more protective of their territory.