Coyotes kill woman on hike in Canadian park

[snopes]

Two coyotes attacked a promising young musician as she was hiking alone in a national park in eastern Canada, and authorities said she died 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.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091029/..._coyote_attack

[Tabbyclaw]

...Hunh.

I was actually just researching coyote attacks a couple months ago for a Life fanfic I never got around to writing. This marks the first time in history that an adult has died from a coyote attack. And it is, for some reason, striking me as the weirdest thing ever at the moment.

-Tabby
the princess with claws

[Nana M]

CTV had a wildlife official on who said that coyote attacks are rare and mostly happen to young children. The current theory is that she may have disturbed a mother protecting her young, a coyote protecting a food source or a sick animal.

I wonder why she was hiking alone in an area known to be coyote territory?

[wanderwoman]

Originally Posted by Nana M

CTV had a wildlife official on who said that coyote attacks are rare and mostly happen to young children. The current theory is that she may have disturbed a mother protecting her young, a coyote protecting a food source or a sick animal.

I wonder why she was hiking alone in an area known to be coyote territory?

This attack is pretty unexpected, I don't think I would have avoided coyote territory, coward though I am, because before this incident I have never considered coyotes a threat to adults. I wouldn't let young kids hike alone in coyote territory, but I wouldn't have been afraid to.

This is really tragic.

[JoeBentley]

Yeah as Wanderwoman said even for an experienced deep wood hiker coyotes aren't even on the chart for possible threats. This is a highly unexpected event. I've encounter large predators twice on the trail (A black bear in once case, a pack of 3 or 4 wild Carolina Dogs on another) and both times as soon as they saw me the animals shot off like a rocket. Remember that humans are apex predators and even other large predators see us as a threat. You have to be careful with children and pets while hiking in areas populated by some large predators, but for the most part animals attacks on adults are statistically a non-issue.

I'm thinking maybe rabies, but I'm sure that would have been one the first things the would of tested the wounds for and the article didn't mention it.

[RingKeeper]

So sad. There was a piece in our local paper just this week warning people in the more northern parts of the province to bring their pets in at night and not to leave them outside unattended. Apparently there has been a rise inthe number of coyotes wandering in to communities to attack outdoor pets. Attacking people on the other hand is almost unheard of.

It is never a good idea to hike alone. This is so tragic.

[frogpond]

I hope my sister-in-law doesn't hear about this. Coyotes are in our area (I've actually seen one near a deer carcass on the side of a road) and it makes her nervous to go outside. I told her that it's very unlikely the coyotes would bother people.

[Lainie]

Aside from the unlikelihood of a coyote attack, the term "coyote territory" casts a pretty wide net. They've been spotted all over Columbus, which is hardly remote hiking country.

[JoeBentley]

Originally Posted by Lainie

Aside from the unlikelihood of a coyote attack, the term "coyote territory" casts a pretty wide net. They've been spotted all over Columbus, which is hardly remote hiking country.

Yeah just avoid this area:

[ganzfeld]

Originally Posted by JoeBentley

Yeah just avoid this area:

Phew. I'm outside the zone. We've had our problems with bears, though.

I was going to mention that she may have been hiking in coyote territory for reasons that have already been mentioned in the thread: Coyotes are almost never a real danger to adults.

[frogpond]

Coyotes have very successfully integrated into the modern world. It's not that surprising for them to be in my neighborhood as it's on the outskirts of Atlanta, but they are now being spotted within the city.

[Mama Duck]

Originally Posted by frogpond

Coyotes have very successfully integrated into the modern world. It's not that surprising for them to be in my neighborhood as it's on the outskirts of Atlanta, but they are now being spotted within the city.

San Antonio obviously has some urban coyotes. While they occassionally pose a threat to pets, this is the first I've heard of them not only attacking an adult but killing one as well. Very sad for the young woman's family and friends. Extremely outside normal coyote behavior though. Is there a drought in that area? Has something happened to their regular food source? This is so bizarre.

[AnglRdr]

We have a coyote that wanders through our backyard every once in awhile, but she always stays as close to the trees as possible, barely even in our yard.

[UEL]

Originally Posted by JoeBentley

Yeah just avoid this area:

Interesting. Except the girl was attacked in an area outside the red zone. Maybe coyotes don't read maps.

On a different note, the attack took place on a popular trail about 30 minutes from my Dad's hometown. I know that farm animals have been attacked before in that area, but beyond that, it's news to me.

I'll ask my grandmother when I get the opportunity.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by UEL

Interesting. Except the girl was attacked in an area outside the red zone. Maybe coyotes don't read maps.

"Coyote territory" has been expanding for some time. I'm pretty sure they aren't native to Ohio, for example.

ETA: Also, coyotes are colorblind.

[NorthernLite]

It would be doubly difficult for me to avoid coyote territory. Not only are we well within the red zone but I've seen the little buggers go strolling across my front lawn. A couple of years ago a friend of ours was followed down the alley as she was out for a stroll.

Though this is the first reported death of an adult from coyotes there have been incidents here. One of our local street people was nibbled on after he passed out drunk. The coyote was chased away and later killed. Wildlife officers said that the reason the coyote attacked was because he was suffering from mange. (And no, this is not our standard joke.)

[Brad from Georgia]

Even on our relatively suburban nature trail, I've encountered coyotes, foxes, a small bear, and, oh yes, squirrels. They've all avoided me except for one unfortunate squirrel, who had his back turned to me and who was so intent on cracking a nut that I prodded him in the back with a stick and learned that squirrels can take off vertically just like a bottle rocket.

[Floater]

Originally Posted by Brad from Georgia

... I prodded him in the back with a stick and learned that squirrels can take off vertically just like a bottle rocket.

You owe the Swedish government a new keyboard, sir.

[Ryda Wong, EBfCo.]

My first thought is to wonder if these were indeed coyotes and not feral dogs, who can be quite nasty at times.

If, indeed, they were coyotes, it's rather perplexing, as they simply aren't known for seriously injuring humans.

I wonder what strange turn of circumstance led to these two animals behaving in such a manner.

And what a horrid thing for this young woman's family and friends.....

[WildaBeast]

Originally Posted by Brad from Georgia

Even on our relatively suburban nature trail, I've encountered coyotes, foxes, a small bear, and, oh yes, squirrels.

The only time I've ever encountered a coyote while hiking was not out in the deep woods somewhere, but on one of the bike/walking paths in my suburban town. At first I thought it was a stray dog, but it behaved more like a wild animal and ran away, which made me realize it was most likely a coyote.