'Aggressive' Coyote Attacked 4 Residents in One Neighborhood, Officials Say

A recent investigation conducted by city officials in Prescott, Arizona, revealed that an "aggressive" coyote has attacked four residents in one neighborhood.

In a public statement on Monday, local authorities said that a 62-year-old woman was attacked by the animal Sunday morning while walking her dog through the Prescott Lakes Subdivision.

The woman—whose name was not released—was "bitten on the lower calf" and taken to an area hospital where she was treated for minor injuries as well as a "possible rabies exposure," according to the statement.

In their investigation, officials found that three other residents had been attacked by a coyote. In those encounters, however, "no actual bite occurred." Instead, the victims were nipped.

Authorities believe the "same aggressive coyote" is responsible for all four encounters.

According to the Southern Arizona Guide, an estimated 200,000 coyotes live throughout the state. The Arizona Game and Fish Department said on its website that this species will "frequent a home or neighborhood if they find food, water or shelter."

"Coyotes are curious, clever and adaptable, and will take advantage of any food source," the department said. "Yards with abundant fruit on the ground, pet food, unsecured garbage cans or unattended pets such as small dogs and cats are often easy food sources for coyotes."

The department also added that coyotes may consider large or loud dogs to be a threat, so it's important for residents to keep an eye on their pets as well as keep them leashed.

A USDA wildlife agent as well as officers from the Arizona Game and Fish Department attempted to find the coyote responsible for the multiple attacks in the Prescott Lakes Subdivision but were unsuccessful. They added that the cause of the animal's "unusual behavior" remains unknown, and warned all area residents to be mindful when walking through the neighborhood.

Sunday's coyote incident is not the first to make headlines in recent months. Newsweek reported in August that coyotes in Vancouver's Stanley Park attacked three people over four days.

There are many possible reasons for the group's aggressive behavior; however, coyote expert Shelley Alexander posited that drugs could be to blame.

"The [behavior] of some of these individuals suggest they've ingested toxins or drugs, possibly opioids," she said.

Also in August, a coyote wandered into an 8th-grade classroom in California on the first day of school. The animal reportedly was "safely removed" without incident.