what an article like this obscures is that there's recently been a lot of genetic introgression from wolf dna into the coyote population, leading some experts to speak of a hybridization event; in any case, the rural coyotes around the gta are bigger, meaner and more aggressive than the coyotes of previous generations. stated simply, they're evolving.

there's a underlying pretext in the article that the son was in some danger, and that would no doubt be cautioned against by coyote experts, who would point to statistics indicating the rarity of the attacks, but this is ignoring the recent introgression. these animals are clearly more aggressive.

we have this cultural attachment to "nature" as this eternal, constant thing that we should avoid interfering with, so that it may continue on in stasis. but, this is a dramatic misconception of reality. while we are trying so hard to avoid disturbing it, like it's some divine quantum interaction that we can suspend indefinitely by ignoring, life around us continues to evolve.

coywolves are something we ought to take very seriously, even if the correct thing to say right now is that the situation requires further study before acting upon.

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/news/article/coyote-co-existence-policies-mean-pets-are-never-safe-dog-cat-safety