Search Continues For Coyote That Attacked Chester County Hiker

WARWICK TOWNSHIP, PA — The Pennsylvania Game Commission is continuing its search in the New Year for the coyote that authorities said attacked a person hiking along a trail in Chester County last weekend.

The incident occurred on Dec. 28 on Warwick Furnace Road.

The nature of the attack remains unknown, but the person was injured in the incident and received medical care afterwards.

It's also not yet clear if the coyote was rabid. Coyote attacks on humans are extremely rare, and rabies is perhaps the most logical explanation for the incident.

See previous coverage: Coyote Attacks Person In Chester County

Game Commission officials have been searching the area for the coyote since Sunday, but the animal has not yet been found.

A rabid coyote was found in Chester County recently in October. However, wildlife biologists say that rabies in coyotes is not common, and that other animals like raccoons and foxes are far more frequent carriers of the disease.

Coyotes have used a remarkable adaptability to spread to nearly every single environment in North America, finding ways to thrive in cities and suburbs as well as rural environments as diverse as the deserts and the swamps. Despite loss of their historic habitat, they've adapted to human sprawl by learning how to forage and by relying on an omnivorous and opportunistic diet. Everything from roadkill to fruit, from trash to insects, has helped fuel the coyote's spread.

Interactions with humans are usually caused by human sloppiness, wildlife biologists say. That includes consistently leaving out trash or pet food, often making the coyote reliant upon a certain area and making them more likely to return. When they do return, while they could present a threat to small dogs or cats, they will almost always avoid people.

Locals who come into contact with a coyote should contact the Chester County Health Department at 610-344-6225.