Canadian folk singer killed by coyotes

[transplant99]

I have to admit I have never heard of her, but a rather tragic story none-the-less.

Taylor Mitchell, 19, was at the beginning of the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park on Tuesday afternoon when she was attacked, according to Chip Bird, the Parks Canada field unit superintendent for Cape Breton.
Bird said hikers saw the coyotes attacking Mitchell and called 911. She was airlifted to a hospital in Halifax, where she died about 12 hours later, he said.

It's pretty unusual for Coyotes to attack humans is it not?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Musi...ef=mpstoryview

[habernac]

I know it's extremely rare that wolves would do it, but coyotes are much more bold. Bizarre story.

[rubecube]

FATA

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...ghlight=coyote

[Peanut]

I don't know whether to post in this thread or the other one. Anyways, what a sad story. In my mind it would seem like you could just kick the coyotes in defense because they aren't very big? But maybe that's a little naive... I've never seen them in action. Either way, it's really too bad for the woman and her family.

[FlamesAddiction]

I hope she wasn't trying to approach or feed them. I see all the time where people see wildlife so they start footing closer to get a better look. Eventually, some animals will become aggressive.

[Jordan!]

Any time i've run into some Coyotes in the wild, I fart sideways or look at them funny and they bolt..

RIP though.. sounds like an awful death.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Peanut

I don't know whether to post in this thread or the other one. Anyways, what a sad story. In my mind it would seem like you could just kick the coyotes in defense because they aren't very big? But maybe that's a little naive... I've never seen them in action. Either way, it's really too bad for the woman and her family.

People always underestimate the strength and power that wild animals possess. Humans, for the most part, have lost their primal strength a long time ago due to the development of weapons. For example, a full grown male chimpanzee is probably twice as strong as a full grown human male.

[Cowperson]

In the Globe and Mail story today, there is a lengthy link of her performing. She's quite good.

Wikipedia is updated and saying this is the first incident recorded of an adult human being killed by coyotes. A child was killed in California in 1981. Sucks to be the first but that shows the incidence of coyotes going after an adult human are exceptionally rare and odd.

Personally, I've scared away coyotes several times by simply holding up my hands and mimicking pointing a rifle at them. . . . . . they're off like a rocket when they see that.

I think, being a city girl, she might have displayed a lot of fear when she came across them, which might have been encouraging. Wrong thing to do in that situation.

Cowperson

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

In the Globe and Mail story today, there is a lengthy link of her performing. She's quite good.

Wikipedia is updated and saying this is the first incident recorded of an adult human being killed by coyotes. A child was killed in California in 1981. Sucks to be the first but that shows the incidence of coyotes going after an adult human are exceptionally rare and odd.

Just looking at her photos, she looks like she might have been pretty tiny as well.

[HPLovecraft]

She was going to perform in PEI the next day.

This is a very sad story, but I hope lessons can be learned from it, as well. Do NOT feed wild animals just because they look cute -- they are not domestic dogs, and while you're in the wilderness, make as much noise as possible to scare away anything that might have the least bit of curiosity. Do not run in fear. Generally even bears are more scared of you than you are of them... unless they have rabies, which may have been the case with these coyotes (if not the above).

[troutman]

As crafty as coyotes are, this story is still surprising. Coyotes weigh 15 -45 lbs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyote

Coyote attacks on humans are uncommon and rarely cause serious injuries, due to the relatively small size of the coyote. However, coyote attacks on humans have increased since 1998 in the state of California. Data from USDA Wildlife Services, the California Department of Fish & Game, and other sources show that while 41 attacks occurred during the period of 1988-1997, 48 attacks were verified from 1998 through 2003. The majority of these incidents occurred in Southern California near the suburban-wildland interface.[40]

Due to an absence of harassment by residents, urban coyotes lose their natural fear of humans, which is further worsened by people intentionally feeding coyotes. In such situations, some coyotes have begun to act aggressively toward humans, chasing joggers and bicyclists, confronting people walking their dogs, and stalking small children.[40] Like wolves, non-rabid coyotes usually target small children, mostly under the age of 10, though some adults have been bitten. Some attacks are serious enough to warrant 200 stitches.[41]

There are only two recorded fatalities from Coyote attacks. In 1981 in Glendale, California, a coyote attacked toddler Kelly Keen, who was rescued by her father, but died in surgery due to blood loss and a broken neck.[40][42] In October 2009, Taylor Mitchell, a 19-year-old folk singer on tour, died from injuries sustained in an attack by a pair of coyotes while hiking in the Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia, Canada.[43]

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

Do not run in fear.

This. I really wonder if she ran. Never run from a wild animal, instinct kicks in for them and they'll chase you down. I'd spend entire summers and Christmas breaks out at my cousin's acreage as a kid and we've scared coyotes away plenty, and that's when we were tiny, so I wouldn't be shocked to find out she ran. Though you never know how a wild animal may react. Definitely a sad and shocking story.

[I_am_Beast]

I actually had one chase on my mountain bike when i was going by edworthy park, he kept up with me pretty good and for a long ways....I doubt it was chasing me to say Hi..

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by rubecube

FATA

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...ghlight=coyote

I'm with HOOT on this issue, that being that thread titles should be used to tell you what the thread is about, rather than posters using them to be witty or draw you in with unfinished thoughts, ending with ........ to pique your interest.

[DOK]

I read something that said she may have never known what happened. They could have stalked her and attacked her from behind, knocking her down and ravaging her instantly. Hopefully it was quick, poor girl. She was a girl from TO alone on a hike trail in NS, probably didn't know what to do. I'd never go out in the woods alone for fear of a bear, I actually said that to someone when I was in the maritimes and they laughed at me saying the worst there is in their woods are moose who fright at the slightest footsteps.

[T@T]

Everything is badass in Cape Breton.

I grew up there and strangely i never even saw a Coyote. Bears,Lynx,Fox and Wolfs but never a Coyote.

[Suzles]

I sometimes wonder if people wearing headphones are too cut off from their surroundings - not that I know this girl was wearing any - but I see people in Fish Creek all the time completely oblivious of their surroundings with their eyes glued to their ipod.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by DOK

I read something that said she may have never known what happened. They could have stalked her and attacked her from behind, knocking her down and ravaging her instantly. Hopefully it was quick, poor girl. She was a girl from TO alone on a hike trail in NS, probably didn't know what to do. I'd never go out in the woods alone for fear of a bear, I actually said that to someone when I was in the maritimes and they laughed at me saying the worst there is in their woods are moose who fright at the slightest footsteps.

I think moose during their mating season are pretty darn dangerous (the males, anyway). Definitely to be avoided!

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by T@T

Everything is badass in Cape Breton.

I grew up there and strangely i never even saw a Coyote. Bears,Lynx,Fox and Wolfs but never a Coyote.

They have moved into a lot of new territory in recent years. The area of Ontario I grew up used to have none and now you see them everywhere. Apparently, as wolves are killed, coyotes quickly move in and take over their territory. Plus, they do well in urban settings.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Peanut

I think moose during their mating season are pretty darn dangerous (the males, anyway). Definitely to be avoided!

Moose are notortiously aggressive. Bulls and cows too, it doesn't matter. Moose are huge too, most folks don't realize just how big they are.

As for this story, if there weren't witnesses I wouldn't believe it. Coyotes are scavengers. They rarely kill anything bigger than a rabbit. The whole stalking theory just doesn't wash with me, though I guess it is possible. They are mostly active at night as well. The whole situation is just bizarre.