‘Deeply concerned’: Conservation officers seek information after four coyotes crushed by snowmobiles

Conservation officers are calling for tips after a gruesome discover on the weekend. Hallee Mandryk has more.

Warning: Images in this story may be disturbing to some viewers.

A reward of up to $2,000 is available for information leading to an arrest as Saskatchewan conservation officers seek the public’s help in finding the perpetrators who killed a group of coyotes with snowmobiles.

According to SaskTip, four coyotes were discovered around 11 kilometers east of Lanigan on Jan. 11. The animals were “deliberately pursued and struck by snowmobiles,” SaskTip says.

Two coyotes were found dead and the other two were left severely injured, which lead to the animals being humanely euthanized on site.

The Ministry of Community Safety is currently investigating the matter.

“We are deeply concerned by the recent incident reported in the Humboldt–Lanigan area involving coyotes that were struck by snowmobilers," the ministry said in an email to CTV News.

“Intentionally harming wildlife is not only illegal, but it also undermines the values of respect and responsibility that most outdoor users uphold. An investigation is underway to determine what occurred.”

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While coyotes are not uncommon in Saskatchewan and sometimes subject to bounties, Lesley Sampson, the co-founding executive director for Coyote Watch Canada says this incident is far from any kind of ethical cull.

“Let’s be clear, when individuals are perpetrating this kind of violence and cruelty towards wildlife, it has nothing to do with protection of livestock or wildlife management or availability; you just essentially hunt this species. These are individuals that believe they’re above the law and they also have no moral or ethical compass with respect to how they are treating wildlife,” Sampson said.

Sampson says although coyotes in rural areas can sometimes create issues, there are always resources available to humanely solve the problem.

“We’re always welcome to talk with folks, whether they have crop or livestock on their landscape. Especially farming families that have had generational farms, and they’re working the land and providing such a great service for community,” Sampson said.

“With respect to food security, if there’s an issue of coyotes that are coming on to different areas that the farmer feels are a little bit too close, there’s ways that you can deter.”

SaskTip is a charity that works closely with the provincial government, to relay information and offer incentives to anyone who may have information about poaching and polluting.

“There are very few conservation officers in the field compared to other police agencies,” said Cody Osborne, the communications coordinator for SaskTip.

“So we do rely heavily on the public, rural landowners, anyone else driving in rural areas that happen to see or come across something to report it to the tip line, and then officers will follow up, to investigate.”

The province has a 24 hour, Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) number, in which people can anonymously report information.

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