As André Chan was driving the streets of Port Coquitlam late one evening last week, he had been anticipating an uneventful journey typical of his route home. The last thing he expected was to stumble upon a scene reminiscent of a gripping B.C. wildlife documentary. Hobbyist wildlife photographer Chan had been navigating the quiet, suburban streets around midnight when he spotted a pack of coyotes trotting along the sidewalk by the intersection of Hawkins Street and Nicola Avenue, illuminated by the lights of the apartment buildings towering above. “It was just a normal drive home, and I spotted a pack of three coyotes running,” he said, describing how he had pulled out his phone and slowed his car to begin recording. As he turned onto Nicola Avenue, two of the coyotes dashed in front of the car and made a beeline for the Walmart Supercentre on the opposite side of the road. “That’s when I spotted a black ‘thing’ in the Walmart lot,” says Chan. Taken Sept. 15, the video shows the black bear watching the two approaching coyotes before it turns on its heels and begins bounding through the parking lot, backlit by the bright lights of the vacant Walmart store. The third coyote veers in from across the street and joins the others in hot pursuit. The pack is hot on the heels of the bear as it travels through the parking lot around the building, past a line-up of stacked shopping carts and down a hedge-lined alleyway between a row of houses and the store. Chan said it was “interesting” to see such a flurry of wildlife activity in an otherwise urban area. Bears are common in this part of Port Coquitlam, although he is rarely able to witness them in the flesh as they tend to be more active at dawn and dusk, when he is at home. “I felt curious and engaged, I was just taking it all in,” he said. Chan said he was unsure if the coyotes were hunting the bear “for food, or for fun.” Regardless, the lone bruin was able to flee unscathed, as the coyotes lost interest and gave up on their chase after around ten minutes. As Chan left the area, the pack remained, “just wandering around” behind the Walmart, he said. According to WildSafe B.C. spokesperson Karly McMullen, a bear being chased by a pack of coyotes in this manner isn’t common, but it certainly isn’t unheard of – particularly at this time of the year. “Both animals use the same habitats and are often drawn into urban areas by the availability of food,” she says. “In the fall, bears become more active as they eat large amounts to prepare for denning, while coyotes are also searching for food and defending their territories.” The two predators typically have a competitive but distant relationship, she says. Most of the time they avoid direct confrontation, but when food comes into the mix – bears will often steal carcasses from coyotes, and coyotes will scavenge from bear kills – squabbles can occur. Young coyotes also begin dispersing to find new territories as late fall approaches, bringing a hike in activity that can make conflict even more likely. Still, it is an encounter rare to witness, and “even rarer to capture on camera,” says McMullen. On this occasion, the bear was able to make its swift escape, but even if a battle had ensued McMullen assures it wouldn’t have ended in a grisly manner. “These chases are more about intimidation than lethal intent,” she says. “Coyotes rarely injure adult bears; they’re simply too big and powerful. Most often, the bear retreats or ignores the coyotes, and both go their separate ways.” Should someone ever come across such a scene themselves, McMullen stresses that people should never intervene directly. “This is a natural wildlife interaction, and as with all wildlife sightings, it’s important to give ample space and never approach,” she says. The safest response is to keep a distance, allow both animals room to move, and observe quietly. If the encounter occurs in a populated area, or if either animal appears injured or trapped, people are advised to contact the Conservation Officer Service RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.
