Conservation officers narrow down search for coyote that attacked Winnipeg boy: province

The hunt for a coyote that mauled a nine-year-oldboy onWinnipeg's northern edgeover the weekend continuesand is nowfocusedto an area of dense bush in the city, according to the province.

The boy and his 15-year-old sister were walking in the area of Popko Crescent and Knowles Avenue on Saturday evening when they noticed the animal, which chased them when they ran from it, Winnipeg police previously said.

Logan Funk, 18, told CBC News that he scared a coyote off after he saw it chasing the boy from his living room window around 6:45 p.m. on Saturday. Police said the boy had suffered "significant injuries" to his upper and lower body and was taken to hospital.

Police have been working with Manitoba's Conservation Officer Service regarding the attack.The coyote has been tracked down to an area of dense bush where search efforts are now concentrated, a provincial spokesperson said in a statement to CBC News on Monday.

"Once it is located and destroyed, it will be tested for rabies," the statement said.

The coyote attack is the first of its kind to be reported in the province, according to the spokesperson. Around 15 reports to the conservation officer service in June have consisted mainly of coyote sightings, and a dog attack was also reported in May.

Encounters with coyotes are unusual since the animals are typically wary of humans, but they can become aggressive when provoked or if they are defending their dens, the province says.

Provincial conservation officers are also informing residents how to coexist with coyotes safely, the spokesperson said.To scare off an approaching coyote, police advised the public on Sunday to practice "hazing," which is the act of making oneself appear large and sound loud.

Neighbours who spoke to CBC after Saturday's attack said they had seen a large coyote stalking up and down the streets for weeks, and that a coyote had attacked house pets.