Coyote Bites Teen in Markham Residential Area

A 16-year-old girl was taken to hospital Thursday morning after being bitten by a coyote in a residential Markham neighbourhood, marking another wildlife-human encounter in the Greater Toronto Area.

Emergency crews responded around 8:15 a.m. to the Mingay and Bur Oak Avenue area near Markham Road following reports of an animal complaint. Paramedics transported the teen to hospital with minor injuries. York Regional Police and Markham Animal Services are now working to locate the coyote and determine what led to the incident.

The encounter underscores a growing tension in the GTA as urban sprawl continues to encroach on wildlife habitat. Coyote sightings have become increasingly common in Toronto's suburbs over the past decade, though serious attacks remain relatively rare. Police are urging residents in the area to use caution, keep pets indoors, and report any further sightings to animal services immediately.

This incident comes as the city grapples with how to manage wildlife in increasingly mixed environments where human and animal territories overlap.