'You’re basically inciting coyotes': Strange piles of meat found around Mississauga
Experts say that feeding wildlife often leads to dangerous interactions, while it's also illegal in the Ontario city.
Piles of meat have been found across the City of Mississauga, which has caused concern from officials over the dangers it could pose to animals and the community.
On March 27, a Mississauga local spotted something strange — a pile of meat as big as a bowling ball sitting right in Settler’s Green Park, located near Glen Erin Drive and Battleford Road. The meat was left there over the weekend, and is believed to have been deliberately placed to feed the wildlife.
“We have received reports of meat such as meat roasts, ground beef, ‘piles’ of chicken, pulled pork, and dog food being dumped in the City’s parks and green spaces,” said Parathan Mohanarajan, a public education officer with Mississauga’s animal services department, in a statement emailed to Yahoo Canada.
“Feeding wildlife can lead to an increased presence of wildlife and cause them to lose their natural fear of people and they can begin approaching people.”
The practice of feeding wildlife ultimately does more harm than benefit, as it attracts dangerous animals such as coyotes. With the exception of some birds, Mississauga has a bylaw in place, which makes it illegal to feed wild animals or leave food out to attract them on public or private property.
City officials are growing increasingly concerned as this isn’t the first time they’ve spotted food being left out that could attract animals, which includes near private properties, such as residential buildings and streets. They have also received calls about residents dumping peanuts or other nuts, bird seed and bread.
“There have always been concerns of members of the public dumping food to attract wildlife in the City’s green spaces, trails, and parks,” said Mohanarajan.
“However, Animal Services has not seen this level of wildlife feeding where large amounts of food are being dumped over a sustained period of time across Mississauga.”
The risk of feeding wildlife
Experts say that feeding wildlife could cause a dependency for that animal. They will start to see humans as a source of food, which often leads to dangerous interactions.
Simon Gadbois is an ethologist at Dalhousie University, and has been studying domestic and wild canines (wolves, coyotes, and red foxes) for 30 years. He believes that feeding wildlife is never a good idea.
“You’re basically inciting coyotes to come close to humans, and the worst thing is to associate humans with food,” said Gadbois. “If they get too comfortable with humans, they will learn to approach them — and that is when we see negative interactions.”
Mohanarajan says the risk is not only to the wildlife itself, but also to our communities. When wildlife, such as coyotes, begin to see people as sources of food they may start to depend on that source rather than searching for food naturally.
In addition, dumping of food across the city can attract wildlife and unwanted pests like rodents and mice, causing concern.
“Unfortunately, when wildlife becomes food-conditioned, that is usually when we experience the most negative interactions between wildlife and people,” said Mohanarajan.
“Wildlife can also start to gather in large numbers when food is easily available leading to more diseases and may destroy natural habitats.”
An increase in coyote sightings across the GTA
Over the last couple of years, there have been multiple reports of coyotes spotted walking the Greater Toronto Area.
In January 2023, a coyote was seen running through downtown Toronto steps from the CN Tower. Only a month later, another coyote was seen walking through the tracks of Union Station — just a few blocks from the first sighting.
The City of Mississauga has started tracking coyote sightings across the city. Their Interactive Coyote Sightings Map shows the uptick, which could be correlated to food and waste management practices within their city.
Gadbois says coyotes are opportunistic animals that will adapt to anything you throw at them.
“It has a lot to do with waste management, the idea of food. If there is food, they will take advantage of it,” said Gadbois.
“If you have a situation where you see a lot of coyotes that are getting too familiar, make sure there is no food for them to access. That includes garbage, bird feeders, and even fruit trees.”
The City of Mississauga is asking residents to report any incidents or sightings to Animal Services. They have increased signage across the city, and have stepped up their enforcement to address the concerns.
The city wants to remind people not to feed animals. They want to ensure that their wildlife does not suffer as a result of the kindness of their people.
