The coyote attacked the boy Tuesday at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, according to a press release from the Fountain Valley Police Department. The girl is recovering from her injuries, police said in another press release.
Wildlife agents caught and slaughtered the coyote in the park Thursday, Patrick Foy, captain of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told CNN. The DNA on the boy’s clothes matched the DNA on the coyote, Foy said.
The coyotes are native to California, where they help keep rodent populations under control, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. But canines can still pose a threat to humans, especially if they get used to interacting with humans or eating human food.
In April, a coyote attacked and injured a girl in Huntington Beach, causing serious injuries. Foy said there have been one or two coyote attacks on humans this year in California. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife encourages residents to avoid feeding coyotes and to store trash in safe containers to prevent coyotes from getting used to approaching humans. If you come across a coyote, you need to keep a safe distance, make noise by shouting or clapping your hands and get bigger by raising and waving your arms, according to the department.