Coyotes Maul Woman Hiking in Canadian Park

(AP)  Two coyotes attacked a Canadian woman while 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.

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 American 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 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.

"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."

[Empire_George]

by missme4 October 28, 2009 6:40 PM EDT
I watched a driver kill a coyote with her mini van while she was talking on the phone a couple of weeks ago. I guess now we're even.
________________

Even.....if you are one of those leftists, that put the life of a dog/coyote/wolf, on par with the life of a human being, then we would be "even"

[rwsmith29456]

I'm not used to hearing that coyotes kill people. Were they driven by humger or rabid or what???? Are we going to see more of this in the future?

[mljohns00]

I'll miss Taylor Mitchell. Her most recent hit, "Where have all the Coyotes Gone?" was one of her many noteworthy songs.

[rwsmith29456]

That isn't funny.

[maiingan]

That was really irresponsible for Bob Bancroft to use that term "the big bad wolf," which is from fiction. I personally wouldn't worry about being attacked by either a wolf or coyote in the wild if they weren't rabid, but then I have some experience and believe I know how to relate to them, starting with being totally alert to my surroundings at all times. I'm a bowhunter, and you have to pay attention. You can't get lost in thought or in some communion-with-nature reverie. I can't imagine that the coyotes thought the upright human hiker was a deer or other prey. Most other prey of coyotes is smaller than they are. We need to know if these coyotes had rabies. And it's always a good idea to carry a stout hiking stick with you.

[torde2u]

I think the lesson to take from this is never hike alone esp in such wild country, or at least be armed with a gun or some sort of defense just in case.

[katemahoneyvt]

I don't see this as a case of us against them, or nature against man! Perhaps the animals were rabid, or their health was otherwise compromised. Horrible situation, but perhaps a hiking companion would have been advisable, or carry mace if travelling solo for whatever unexpected circumstance may occur when alone, in the woods or the city, four legged or two legged!

[payasyougo]

People should quit hiking in the wild.

It just emboldens the wild animals.

[armyoftwelve]

That's it! It's time to start waging war against coyotes....

[tpeks40]

I'll be sure to aim my truck at any coyotes that happen to cross my path, just so we can be back up 1, ya jerk.

[tpeks40]

I'll be sure to aim my truck at any coyotes that happen to cross my path, just so we can be back up 1, ya jerk.