(CNN) — A rising Canadian folk singer was killed by coyotes this week in a national park in Nova Scotia, a park spokesman said Thursday.
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. Mitchell was recently nominated for Young Performer of the Year honors by Canadian Folk Music Awards. She was touring the Maritime provinces and had a break between gigs to go hiking Tuesday, her manager, Lisa Weitz, said in an e-mail.
“She loved the woods and had a deep affinity for their beauty and serenity,” she wrote.
(…)
Bird said the area where the attack occurred is popular and well traveled. It remained closed, and park authorities had shot one coyote believed to be involved. A pathologist will test the animal’s body for diseases that might have triggered the attack, he said.Searches for other aggressive animals in the park continue, he said.
Coyotes attacking humans? That’s a new one on me.
Bullshit. Wolves maybe, coyotes extremely unlikely unless they were rabid.
I can’t remember a full grown person being killed by coyotes…ever. Very very strange. She would have been better off with meeting a black bear.
In our Calgary neighborhood we’ve had some instances of coyotes going after humans, but always single animals. We’re close to a large park so occasionally we’ll get one that is hungry and has had some luck getting into garbage or killing people’s pets in their yards.
About 4 years I was confronted by a coyote when walking my dogs (small spaniels) and when I picked them up it jumped at me to get at the dogs. It trailed me home and until I found a bunch of rocks to discourage it. It went after a 3 year old a couple of days later and was finally shot. My wife has been trailed when mountain biking but they never really came close.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife doesn’t give a rat’s ass about this so people in my area just bait and shoot out problem coyotes. You get a bad one every couple of years so it’s not a big deal.
We have them at our place and every once in a while I see them. I do carry the Glock while mowing the fields and along all the fence lines just in case.
If a bunch of them want to harass me I can use the AK or ARs or the Uzi on them. Their pretty to look at and if I could post a pic here I would put up the one that I have in our side field of one eating a field mouse as it is pretty cool.
We have coyotes around here as well(heavily urbanized area surrounded by rural in s/w Ontario) and there are a few that have no fear of humans. Police and animal control have been called several times to deal with them since they have started acting aggressively towards people.
#1 – Not BS. Eastern coyote is larger than western coyote. Can be closer in size to a wolf than a western coyote. There is speculation that some eastern coyotes might be a coyote/wolf mix. Note: coyotes only started appearing in the Maritimes about 20-25 years ago.
Too bad she died. That’s nature’s way. Somebody should write a song about predation.
Coyotes attacking humans? That’s a new one on me.
Me too.
We should have left the wolves around. Wolves keep the coyotes at bay. Since killing off so many wolves, coyotes have been filling in the niche, learning to hunt in packs and bring down deer.
I had not heard of an attack on a human before.
However, as there has never been a recorded case of a healthy wolf attacking an adult human in North America, I suggest we bring back wolves.
Yes, the caveats in my statement are important. Still though, deer kill about 6 people per year. Wolves kill 0. Let’s bring back some wolves.
Let’s also introduce Sarah Palin (unarmed) to a pack of coyotes.
@MikeR They also crossbreed with dogs.
Recently on the CBC radio science show “Quirks and Quarks,” there is evidence that the coyotes and wolves have been interbreeding in eastern Canada and northeastern US.
Wild animals attacking people? I don’t think that’s new.
“Searches for other aggressive animals in the park continue…” – I guess they need to send a memo out to the animals in the park: you need to be less aggressive.
#12 – chuck,
Send them some marijuana? Perhaps an injectable form via dart gun? Stoned coyotes are likely to just sit around doing nothing but eating stale doritos.
Seriously though, animal attacks on humans are extremely rare. There are a few animals that do aggressively attack humans (as opposed to fighting when cornered) but by far, not the majority.
Of the ones I can name, polar bears, pumas, and great white sharks come to mind. The last though, mostly due to mistaking surfers for seals. Hippos also come to mind. They are very territorial and kill more humans in Africa than any other non-human animal.
We are more dangerous to ourselves than any other animal. We are also more dangerous to other animals than any other animal. Perhaps we need to be taught to be less aggressive, especially regarding aggression towards the habitat we call home.
was she singing about the majestic coyote? an Ode to the coyote…
Ill bet the coyote stumbled upon her while she was sitting under a tree singing and he killed her to shut her up…
#13 – agreed. And I expect there are enough marijuana grow-ops in national parks that the animals have a easy source to get baked on.
But maybe when we tell people that animal attacks are rare – they still happen. Wild animals are WILD. Those raccoons going through the dumpster behind my apartment are very cute, but children shouldn’t try to pet them.
And my cat attacks anyone who gets within 3 feet of him.
Something is wrong.
There are few reasons for a human attack.
If these animals are hungry..there MUST be an absence of game. IF that is the problem, then They should be moved, or killed to keep the balance.
we have an over abundance of jack rabits in this area…WANT SOME??
#15 Al – That and she looks delicious.
#16 – chuck,
But maybe when we tell people that animal attacks are rare – they still happen. Wild animals are WILD. Those raccoons going through the dumpster behind my apartment are very cute, but children shouldn’t try to pet them.
True enough. But, it still makes more sense to buckle up and let the cell phone go to voice mail than it does to spend a lot of energy worrying about animal attacks.
And my cat attacks anyone who gets within 3 feet of him.
I love cats. I have a cat (or more accurately, he has me).
But, keep your cat inside!
Your cat will be safer and healthier (no FELV). Song birds and other small wildlife will not be killed for no good reason (since your cat is probably already well fed). And, your cat won’t get run over in your house/apartment.
If I can give one message to my fellow cat slaves, keep the cat inside.
That’s terrible news.
Here in the southwest coyotes have attacked people and they have killed a lot of small pets. But I’ve never heard of a pack of coyotes attacking anyone or anything. The only time I’ve ever seen more than one coyote at a time was a mom and her cubs.
Just smearing myself in rabbit blood, packing a loin of venison and taking a long lonely walk in the backwoods. Back on Monday.
#8 MS
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly…
Screwin’ around with natures balance is never a good idea, don’t matter what the motives are.
We also have coyotes in Metro areas. Will they attack humans? Who knows.
We do know dog packs will (and I don’t mean Pit Bulls) and have attacked and killed humans.
I don’t carry a gun, but if I lived (or visited) a rural area I don’t believe it would be foolish to be protected.
What I don’t understand is that I believe I read that her mother says she doesn’t believe the coyotes should have been killed, because her daughter wouldn’t want them killed.
OK?
Everybody is a critic!
#22 – amodedoma,
I agree. We just differ on whether restoring nature to a prior state is screwing around or unscrewing around.
#23 – Ranger007,
What I don’t understand is that I believe I read that her mother says she doesn’t believe the coyotes should have been killed, because her daughter wouldn’t want them killed.
Why is so hard to understand that not everyone thinks humans are special, even when it’s themselves or their loved ones? Why is it hard to respect the wishes of your loved ones even when they come to a bad end?
I would certainly not want any animal(s) killed just because he/she/they killed me. How would that bring me back?
I briefly met a bear researcher while staying at the Knight Inlet Lodge (or, more accurately, one of the two claiming that name). His face was quite mangled and missing an eye after an encounter with a grizzly.
His immediate response when they got to him was “whatever you do, don’t hurt the bear!”
He recognized that in that encounter, despite years of bear research, he came upon a bear unexpectedly. The bear did not have a good retreat. He panicked and ran (exactly the wrong response) and got mauled.
The bear was just being a bear. Don’t hurt the bear.
That’s what he said. And, more power to him for being able to say that and mean it after such an attack. I’m impressed by people who recognize their place in nature, especially when it really counts and could easily be personal.
I hope if I ever end up in a similar situation that I can maintain my resolve on the subject, or that my wife can on my behalf. Actually, she’s even more likely than I to maintain that resolve, regardless of which of us ends up as the direct victim.
She died as she lived, with a deep affinity for the circle of life.
#26 Misanthropic Scott,
“Why is so hard to understand that not everyone thinks humans are special, even when it’s themselves or their loved ones?”
OK, if that is your wish – however, it has long been a tradition to “put down” animals if they kill humans.
I do realize there seems to be a future for lawyers (who can’t find other work) to represent “the rights of animals”. I personally disagree.
I don’t believe in being cruel to animals – but they are “animals”. God (pick your choice) help us, if a termite or cockroach is ever given the same rights and privileges as you or I.
Pity it wasn’t Taylor Swift
but I’ve pissed off girlfriends by not camping with them when they are near their period. Carnivore’s smell blood and some/too many go for it. Maybe they just want to lick it and get carried away?/maybe we don’t give them a chance to decide.
Its called “the curse” for a reason.
It was her time, the angel of death was there in the form of coyotes. Simple as that…