Coyote sightings are spiking across Toronto and the GTA at large as the cunning canids' mating season is now in full swing.

Social media has lit up in recent weeks with reports of these wild predators venturing deeper into urban settings — a regular phenomenon during the annual mating season of January and February.

The City of Toronto and other regional municipalities have issued warnings in recent days, reminding the public to stay a safe distance from coyotes, always keep pets on a leash, and stressing the repercussions of feeding these often cute but potentially dangerous animals.

It’s normal to see coyotes during winter, as there are fewer leaves on the trees. Follow these tips to ensure peaceful coexistence:

🐶 Keep pets on a leash
🥩 Avoid leaving pet food outdoors
🐺 Stay calm if you encounter a coyote

Get more tips at https://t.co/7wtAhYYAY0 pic.twitter.com/vRlhe1Al6I

— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) January 27, 2024

It is not uncommon to see coyotes boldly roaming local parks and even city streets at this time of year — sometimes just casually strolling down a sidewalk.

Wildlife in downtown Toronto. The neighborhood coyote 🐺 walking along the sidewalk and inspecting the lawn across the street. Looking for “lunch” but probably aware of competition from the neighborhood fox 🦊 pic.twitter.com/3yGNSRwO2j

— Michael Baker (@DrMAB43) January 25, 2024

Wildlife photographer Henry Huy had his own recent encounter with a coyote in High Park, snapping some incredible photos of the wild canid prowling the city green space.

"The coyote was running toward prey in a ready-to-catch posture, and I captured these pictures just in the nick of time," Huy told blogTO.

He says he was "about 100 feet away from the coyotes," which he noted "looked very healthy."

Photo of a coyote in High Park this month by Henry Huy.

Others have reported closer encounters, like one local who says a coyote came right at his dog on a residential street.

Here's one. Remove the coyotes. A coyote crossed the street and came right at our dog (looking for breakfast), only veering away when my wife picked our dog up and yelled. Remove the coyotes before someone gets hurt.

— Malcolm Kelly (author of SPROG) (@sportsnag) January 24, 2024

The City of Brampton is also no stranger to coyotes, and has proven a hotspot for sightings in the GTA.

Brampton issued a news release on Wednesday morning that advised the public to exercise caution around the animals, while stressing that coyotes will usually pick flight over fight.

"Coyotes are naturally timid animals," reads the release, noting that the animals "typically like to avoid people and confrontation, which has made them suitable for urban environments."

According to Brampton officials, "most coyote sightings are of coyotes who are focused on finding sources of food and water, a mate and protecting their families by patrolling against threats."

The release notes that coyotes are most concerned about keeping their pack safe from other coyotes, and "because dogs are similar to coyotes, they will be treated as competition or a threat," leading to potential confrontations.

If a confrontation does occur, experts say that the best approach is to make yourself "loud and large" to scare off attacks.

"If a coyote continues to approach you, make gestures and use objects to startle the coyote into running away," says the Brampton news release, stressing not to chase or touch the animal in the process.