Orange County Community Child Bitten By Coyote

Coyotes and other wildlife are usually shy, but can become bold or aggressive if they associate humans with food. https://t.co/xv680zG4m4

— SMCMVCD (@SMCMVCD) October 14, 2016

Even California’s most populated areas – like Orange County – are vulnerable to wild animal attacks. In the Woodbridge neighborhood of Irvine (a short drive from the John Wayne Airport, residents endured a terrifying coyote attack on a 6-year-old at a local park.

Here’s the Orange County Register with more:

What happened Sunday evening in this quiet suburban neighborhood wasn’t an isolated incident. Authorities say Irvine is “a hot spot” for coyotes and three cases of coyotes biting humans have been reported in the Woodbridge neighborhood over the past few months.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife on Thursday held a press conference at Springbrook Park to discuss Sunday’s attack, which was first reported by the Register.

The 6-year-old was playing at the park around 7 p.m. when a coyote attacked him, Fish and Wildlife Capt. Rebecca Hartman said. The father rushed to help from the other side of the playground, and the coyote let go of the boy after dragging him about three feet, she said.

The boy, who suffered minor cuts, scratches and bites on his arm, was taken to hospital by his father and was released that night, Hartman said.

Fish and Wildlife officials set traps in the area and caught one coyote on Tuesday and three more on Wednesday night. The captured coyotes were euthanized because there’s no way to hold them, Fish and Wildlife officials said. The department stopped the trapping Thursday morning.

Scary stuff.