It was a wildlife encounter she'll never forget.
After visiting the Vancouver Aquarium in the late afternoon of August 31, Kiya Naka and her four-year-old son, Jack, decided to take a stroll near Brockton Oval.
What followed could be described as a nightmare for any parent.
"A gentleman was yelling at us so we turned around and the coyote had my son by the bum," recounts Naka.
"It just happened so fast. My last thought would be it was attacking my child; I thought it was just someone's dog coming up to me and then my son was screaming," explains Naka.
She was visiting from Calgary on business and had no idea coyote interactions with people are an increasing problem in Stanley Park.
"I didn't even look to see updates on Stanley Park; I just went because I knew it was a fun thing to do and it's such a great attraction to Vancouver."
Naka and a bystander were able to scare the animal away. Young Jack was taken to BC Children's Hospital and treated for minor injuries.
"The doctors at the hospital were so great. He thinks he's got superpowers; he's in high spirits," says Naka.
She says the whole ordeal "could have turned ugly real fast" if the coyote was larger.
Naka adds more prominent signs warning people about coyotes within the park could help increase awareness. She also stresses these attacks are happening in broad daylight.
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation is implementing new measures to deal with the animals in the iconic park. These include more litter removal, animal-proof garbage cans, and new signage.
The public is being asked to stay on trails, avoid the park at night, and report anyone feeding animals by calling the RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) line at 1-877-952-7277.
Stanley Park remains closed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. seven days a week "in an effort to reduce continued conflict between park users and coyotes," according to a board statement.
Meanwhile, two Vancouver Park Board commissioners are calling for the permanent removal of coyotes in the park after a spate of recent encounters.
With files from Brendan Kergin and Cameron Thomson
