Coyotes kill woman on hike in Canadian park




TORONTO (AP) - Two coyotes attacked a promising young musician as she was hiking alone in a national park in eastern Canada, and authorities said she died Wednesday of her injuries.

The victim was identified as Taylor Mitchell, 19, a singer-songwriter from Toronto who was touring her new album on the East Coast.

She was hiking solo on a trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia on Tuesday when the attack occurred. She was airlifted to a Halifax hospital in critical condition and died Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Coyotes, which also are known as prairie wolves, are found from Central America to the United States and Canada.

Wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft said coyote attacks are extremely rare because the animals are usually shy.

Bancroft, a retired biologist with Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources, said it's possible the coyotes thought Mitchell was a deer or other prey.

"It's very unusual and is not likely to be repeated," Bancroft said. "We shouldn't assume that coyotes are suddenly going to become the big bad wolf."

Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman Brigdit Leger said other hikers heard Mitchell's screams for help on Tuesday and called emergency police dispatchers.

Police who were in the area reached the scene quickly and shot one of the animals, apparently wounding it. But the wounded animal and a companion coyote managed to get away.

Paul Maynard of Emergency Health Services said Mitchell already was in critical condition when paramedics arrived on the scene and had multiple bite wounds over her entire body.

"She was losing a considerable amount of blood from the wounds," he said.

An official with Parks Canada said they blocked the entrance to the trail where Mitchell was attacked and were trying to find the animals to determine what prompted such an unusual attack.

"There's been some reports of aggressive animals, so it's not unknown," said Helene Robichaud, the park's superintendent. "But we certainly never have had anything so dramatic and tragic."

Mitchell was an up-and-coming folk and country musician who was nominated for a 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award in the Young Performer of the Year category.

"Words can't begin to express the sadness and tragedy of losing such a sweet, compassionate, vibrant, and phenomenally talented young woman," Lisa Weitz, Mitchell's manager, said in an e-mail. "She just turned 19 two months ago, and was so excited about the future."

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Maybe we could get a couple of those and turn 'em loose in DC.

gb

gbflyer wrote:Maybe we could get a couple of those and turn 'em loose in DC.

gb

Are you kidding? The coyotes wouldn't stand a chance. You would need wolves the size of saber tooth tigers to get the job done.

tom

I'd be willing to bet it was more than two, they get braver in packs, but sure doesn't seem like it could have been only two. I'd still doubt it even if they were really hungry. My 2bits, for what that's worth...

I think I've heard that gal sing, if it's the one I think, she was really good.

Bad Deal..

I would have never believed that coyotes would get close to humans (except when you are in a tractor), but a couple of years ago, when we were still living on the farm in Illinois, my wife had three different encounters with coyotes when out running. The first time a coyote attached Ellens's dog and was within 20 feet of her and she could not chase it off. When she got back to the house, I grabbed a gun and jumped in the pickup to look for the animal, I did see and chase it, but got the truck stuck in the process. The next day she went running with her model 27, it proved to be too heavy and did not see the coyote anyway. A few days later, the same thing happened again with the coyote, but no gun. Then a couple of weeks later the local school bus stopped her when she was running and told her two coyotes were following her and they were. I called in a couple of friends that morning and we found the animals, threw some lead at them from long distance, but no banana. The next week we did get one, but don't know if it was one of the offenders or not. I think Ellen now feels about as safe with the resident wolves and bears when she is running, as she did the coyotes. Steve

I guess it was a pack, according to this video. http://www.cbc.ca/video/popup.html?/mrl ... 091028.wmv

Damn... Too Bad...

Steve, my mom had about the same thing happen to her about 3 yrs back. Mom and dad are out in the country in central Missouri and there were at least 2 yotes that would tag along across the ditch as she walked the gravel road. We had a good size lab and Australian Shepard that always went w/ her and the yotes would still fallow along. Dad got to taking the Ausi when he would call and for some reason the yotes would come right in, best decoy we ever used.

I remember reading an article years & years ago about a rash of bear attacks in various national parks, don't recall black or griz or both. But the article seemed to indicate that a factor in the attacks was that all the attacks seemed to involve women who were having their monthly menstrual cycle.

I to have been stalked by the pesky critters! 2 years ago I was bow hunting for moose, sneaking along a trail and cow calling ocassionally and I thought I kept hearing something russel leaves? First on one side of me than the other. Finally thought I was just going crazy Than they started yipping and howling There were several on either side of me....and there I stand with a sharp stick on a string I started yelling at them and that did the trick. They backed off and disappeared. I went back later in the winter with a predator call and my 22.250 to try and thin them out a bit. Never got a single one to respond!

Here in E/Central Missouri...


....about 4 years ago....a 3 year old boy wondered away from his rural home after dark. The commuity turned out in large numbers to look for him. Late into the night some of the searchers heard a pack of coyotes howling. One man was a hunter and said..."they have something cornered." The searchers followed the sounds and found the little boy standing in a circle of coyotes who had the child surrounded. He was rescued safely.

I had always thought that the coyotes wer protecting him. Pehaps they had other ideas. Scary. We have many coyotes around here and I never imagined that they would harm humans.

Bob

It is always a bit spooky when changing my irrigation water at night when you here em calling to each other. I keep saying to myself "they arn't talking about me are they?"

Tim

qmdv wrote: I keep saying to myself "they arn't talking about me are they?"

Tim

Yeah Tim, they're saying to each other "We don't wanna screw with that guy, he lived underwater for months at a time, that Mo-Fo's CRAZY!"

delete

james wrote:....... Coyotes are not that brave in my world. ...

Give them a 22-250 & let's see how brave YOU are!!

IMO My 2 cents worth. All these different predators and varmints were controlled or exterminated for good reasons.

Now we have folks who want them back the way it was in lets just say 1750.

More people enjoying the great out doors now.

Many from the cities.
Many of them want this reintroduction of predators and varmints.
Many who want to take our guns.

WHAT THE FUC% DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN!!

I just hope the ones who become dinner for some predator are the same ones who have lobbied for there reintroduction.

I also hope the ones who become dinner for some predator are the same ones who have lobbied against my right to carry any gun anywhere I choose.

y'all have a nice day.

Aw. Come on Rob... tell us how you REALLY feel ...

Stol wrote:Aw. Come on Rob... tell us how you REALLY feel ...

Stol wrote:Aw. Come on Rob... tell us how you REALLY feel ...

That's why I like Rob. He is always spot on with stuff like that!!

New prop covers James?

BRD wrote:New prop covers James?

Talk about shove a prop up your azz!