PROVINCETOWN, Mass. — A coyote bit a small child on a Cape Cod beach on Wednesday evening, authorities said.
The child was bitten on North Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown and within the Cape Cod National Seashore at about 8:30 p.m., according to a statement.
The child’s gender and age were not disclosed.
The child was taken to Cape Cod Hospital in Barnstable with injuries not considered life-threatening, the seashore’s deputy superintendent said in a statement on its website.
Park rangers shot the coyote and will attempt to find the body Thursday so it can be tested for rabies.
>> RELATED: Coyote circles woman on Cape beach for 10 minutes but never bites
Rangers have had to respond to several incidents this summer of assertive coyotes approaching people in an attempt to find food, the statement said. The animals have been emboldened because people are leaving food out for them or are not removing scraps and packaging from beaches.
“When wild animals lose their fear of people, they behave unpredictably and aggressively, resulting in injuries to people and a sad ending for the habituated animal,” the statement said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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