Wildlife

Wildlife in King

Be coyote alert!

If you see a sick or injured coyote please contact Toronto Wildlife Centre at 416-631-0662 or by completing an online form at https://torontowildlifecentre.com. When reporting, please include all relevant details such as the date, time, and location of the sighting, and attach any photos or videos if available. In the event of an emergency, call 911

King Township has contracted the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) to assist King residents by providing access to expert wildlife advice, rehabilitation of sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals with the goal of returning them to the wild, and trained rescue of animals in dangerous or risky situations.

  • If you have a wildlife question or concern between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., 7 days / week, please call Toronto Wildlife Centre's hotline at 416-631-0662.  Follow the prompts for more information on how to resolve your situation, or leave a message for the trained hotline team. If your call is urgent, the goal of the hotline team will be to return your call within one hour.  Please allow more time for response to a non-urgent call, especially during spring and summer.
  • Please check TWC's website for instructions on how to contain a sick, injured, or orphaned wild animal to keep it safe and quiet while you wait for a call back.
  • Between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 a.m., Toronto Wildlife Centre is closed.  If you find a sick, injured, or orphaned wild animal during these hours, please follow the instructions on TWC's phone system or website www.torontowildlifecentre.com to safely contain the animal and house it overnight.  Leave a message on their hotline, and they will call you back in the morning.
  • For general information about wildlife, please visit www.torontowildlifecentre.com . You can also follow TWC on Facebook or Twitter for interesting stories and information about wildlife.

Ministry regulations and guidelines make it illegal for animal control to trap and relocate wildlife from your property.  For additional information, go to the Ministry of Natural Resources Website.

Be Coyote Aware

Although coyotes are wild animals, they can be curious of human activity. It's important to keep them wary of people. Never approach or attempt to tame a coyote. 

Coyotes are mainly nocturnal, so keep pets inside at night. Coyotes are attracted to dog feces, so clean up after your pets. They might also be interested in food scraps, fallen fruit from trees or bird feed. Remember to keep garbage in enclosed trash and compost bins.

Wildlife Safety
  • Never feed a coyote
  • Never approach coyotes, their den or their pups
  • Never allow your pets to chase, harass or corner a coyote
  • Obey leash by-laws and supervise pets outdoors
  • Dispose of all food items at picnic/cooking areas in designated bins
If a coyote is near:
  • Pick up small children and pets
  • Never run or turn your back
  • Wave your arms above your head
  • Be BIG and LOUD! Yell, "Go away"
  • Slowly back away
  • Use hazing techniques such as popping an umbrella, throwing an object or shaking your keys

Also check out Vaughan's Coyote resources as well.