Mother Warns Others After Child Is Bit 'Out Of Nowhere' By Coyote On Provincetown Beach

PROVINCETOWN- A mother of two, Megan Lewis, said she lived through her worst fear last Wednesday when her three-year-old daughter was attacked by a coyote at North Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown.

"Out of nowhere the coyote came around from behind and grabbed her on the neck," Lewis said. "She had one puncture wound on the back of her neck, one puncture wound on the back of her skull, a puncture wound and a laceration to her face and her ear was mutilated."

Lewis said she was stargazing with her family last Wednesday evening on the beach when the coyote attacked. She is now speaking out to warn others and said her daughter's situation is a prime example of what can happen when coyotes are no longer afraid of humans.

"I'm aware the biggest thing coyotes are able to get close to is because people are feeding them and leaving trash on the beach but be aware that we weren't feeding it, we weren't sitting at a bonfire with loads of food around us," Lewis said.

"Please clean up your trash and do not try to feed these animals because the progression of the behavior is that they lose this fear of human beings." Cape Cod National Seashore's Deputy Chief Ranger Ryan Wright said.

"I hope that people are made aware that it's not just like oh there's a cute coyote I'm not going to feed it but I'll look at it, it could attack you and it might," Lewis said.

Also at North Herring Cove, in late July a woman was seen frantically fighting off a coyote with a stick when two boaters came to the rescue.

"We're not sure if it's the same one or not, the behaviors tracked are similar, so it's entirely possible but we're not sure," Wright said.

Wildlife experts said people should make loud noises if they encounter a coyote and never turn your back on the animal.