Which parts of PEI National Park have coyotes and foxes?

Question

PEI National Park (henceforth PEINP) is tripartite:

National Geographic warns that:

Although there are no deer or moose on the island, coyotes, red foxes, raccoons, beavers, mink, and weasels are common.

This Tripadvisor comment doesn't specify which sectors have the foxes and coyotes:

There are two sections to the park, with the western portion mostly beach (watch the mosquitos!) and the eastern portion comprised of red bluffs plunging into the ocean- like Gulf of St. Lawrence. And right smack in the middle, in the quaint little resort town of Cavendish, is the charming House of Green Gables, made famous in the Anne of Green Gables stories. The eastern portion of the park, with it's plunging cliffs, is a bit more interesting because of the multitude of foxes all over the place looking for handouts! They'll come right up to your car and you'll have to honk your horn to get them out of the street. They even hang out in the parking lots for handouts. They are irresistibly cute, but I'd watch my hands if I were you, although if they see you don't have any food, they just saunter off to the next person! While the western portion doesn't have the foxes on the beach, you'll see them along the road into the park from Cavendish, just hanging out in hopes of some food!

1. Which parts of PEI National Park have coyotes and foxes?

2. Once in the park, I'll be on foot. As I can't retreat to my car and drive away, I am trying to shun any section with foxes or coyotes that dismay me. Ought I visit PEINP at all? If yes, which sectors ought I visit, if any?

Answer 1

I've been to the park, and during my visit, I didn't see any foxes or coyotes at all. I think it's safe to assume that while it may not be an uncommon experience, it's certainly not an automatic or assured experience.

Canada has a lot of relatively remote and untamed land, and there is a significant amount of wildlife in all of it. Generally, the advice to visitors who do not want to encounter wildlife is to make a lot of noise. This is most important in bear country, since bears are among the most dangerous animals in Canada; noise tends to scare them off.

Typically, if wildlife approaches you, it's because the wildlife is quite tame and used to human interaction. This is usually caused by visitors illegally feeding the wildlife. (This is forbidden in Canadian national parks, but some people do it anyway.) Typically this wildlife won't cause you any harm; it's well aware that it has a good deal getting food from people, and it won't cause you any harm unless you threaten it. If you're concerned, simply being assertive (not aggressive) and making yourself look large is going to have the most effect, but chances are, if a fox approaches you for food and you don't give it any, it will give up and go on to someone or somewhere else.

Once in Alberta on a hike, I had a curious deer follow me for several kilometres. Eventually it bored of us and left. I rather didn't mind it being there. It was clear that it wasn't intending to threaten us. I suspect you'll have a similar experience with the foxes.

If you are at all in doubt or uncomfortable, stop in the park office and speak to a park ranger about the animals. The ranger can give you advice of what areas to avoid or what behaviours you can use to minimize the chances of problems.

Parks Canada has posted some very good advice about animal interactions in Prince Edward Island Park here that you may want to read before you go. There is specific advice about coyotes, which should show natural fear about you.

Have a great time visiting P.E.I.!