Singer killed by coyotes (coop, home, school)

[Jimrob1]

I just heard a news report about a rising Canadian Singer named Tayor Mitchell that was attacked by coyotes and killed. She was only 19 and was attacked while hiking in Nova Scotia in the Cape Breton area. I have never heard of this singer, but it was a very sad report to hear. So very young.

I have wondered when we would begin to hear reports that coyotes definitely will attack a human.

[umtiki]

I living in Nova Scotia heard of this, and it is quiet unfortunate really sad.

I actually haven't heard of coyotes attacking people before. I know that my friend's dogs have had some problems with coyotes. But attacking humans let alone killing someone.

[stone-ground]

Just read the article in the newspaper this morning, so sad.

They've only managed to kill the one so far, and sent it off for testing .. maybe get some answers as to why it happened, hopefully.

It mentioned if she'd shown fear and tried to run, it may have been what triggered the attack. Also mentioned it looked like they were young and not very learned in the art of hunting, and may have been starving and on the point of desperation.

Also with their habitats disappearing and more interaction with humans, possibly another reason .. getting used to people and having no fear .. as so far, we haven't done anything to make them fearful of us.

Whatever the reason, that poor young woman. Died with bites everywhere to her body. Still displayed aggressive behaviour when the officers showed up on the scene.

Frankly, I'm a little surprised we don't see it more often as they are like dogs .. no? Dogs, especially in packs, tend to show aggressive behaviour at times so why wouldn't coyotes do the same?

The article mentioned there have been instances in the past where small children have been attacked, but surprised that they would have taken on an adult as they did.

Years ago camping, had just arrived in a destination in northern Baja. Some poor guy's shepard had been lured away earlier that day, broad daylight, by coyotes. Later as it was getting dark, they were getting really brave, coming within 6' - 8' from where we were sitting around a fire, trying to lure our dogs away also. Kept trying to get them to come and play with them .. ducking forward, dancing back, etc., .. just looked like dogs trying to play. The dogs we had with us kept wanting to go with them also .. didn't seem at all threatening, and could see how a dog would be tempted.

That poor guy, and dog. Still think about that to this day.

The article mentioned coyotes are usually shy, but curious. They didn't seem too afraid when they'd stand outside our windows and howl all night long when we lived in the boonies. Even chased off, would return the moment we were back in the house. Also as kids playing outside, used to see them watching us quite often.

Decided to join my sister and a friend who'd gone fishing earlier about a mile down the road. Just as I got there, they decided to go home and started teasing me that I was afraid to stay by myself, which I was, but couldn't let them know that! I was around eight at the time and had no idea how to fish, but kept playing with my line in the water .. basically just wasting time until I could go home again without looking foolish and afraid.

Looked up to find a big coyote in full view watching me from across the creek, only a few feet away. Then I was really scared! Finally it slowly moved away up onto the road and down into the bush. Happened I was on the far side of the creek from home, and had to pass it to get by. Couldn't see it, but sure it was watching my every move.

Another time the hunters in the area were all armed and out trying to put down a rabid coyote in the area that we used to see while looking out the school window .. all scruffy with the little hair it had left. I can still remember it standing lone on a hill, watching us through the windows .. it's as if they can see everything and almost read your mind. They've always kind of given me the heebie-jeebies actually.

You just never know, especially if they're starving or rabid.

[GTOlover]

I live in B.C. near a huge provincal forrest we get coyotes and black bears running through our yard all the time. I have never seen our heard of a coyote attacking like that unless it is rabid or starving or protecting it's young even then it does not happen very often. So who know what happend and why they attacked she may have provoked them some how I don't know.

[arctichomesteader]

I know of attacks like that. It happens when the yotes lose their fear of humans, whether because of disease (rabies) or a lack of hunting. I always shoot any yotes I encounter who have no fear of people, they're dangerous. Unfortunately, the singer didn't have that option in that park.

[stone-ground]

Another attack by coyotes yesterday in the valley.

This time to a horse.

The owners heard the commotion and went to investigate. The coyotes had attacked and taken down one of their horses, and was still eating it alive from behind when they arrived on the scene. As the man approached, three coyotes began an aggressive rush to attack the man until the siren of the rescue vehicle scared them off. Unfortunately the horse couldn't be saved.

The couple are extremely upset and scared for their other horses now that the coyotes have tasted blood.

Showed the spot on their property near the trees where the coyotes have denned for years, the couple seeing usually over a dozen pups per year born. Never encountering a problem with them living on the property in the past, didn't worry about them co-existing on their land.

Such extreme behaviour of coyotes attacking and killing such a large animal is puzzling to biologists.

[Zoisite]

Stone-ground, where did that happen? Was it in the Fraser Valley?

If it was then it doesn't surprise me. A lot of farmers out in the valley can't be bothered to properly dispose of offal, skin and bones left over from butchering livestock. They toss the remains at the backs of their properties for the coyotes to dispose of. If those horse owners live anywhere near a farm where people do that it only makes sense the next step will be for the coyotes to start attacking large livestock animals.

[Jimrob1]

Its amazing that all these coyotes are all over North America now. I am not surprised this is happening just very sad. However as man continues to take over their native habitats, tragic incidents like this are the result. Every community should take the death of this poor girl very seriously. This horrible incident could happen anywhere. Education and measures should be looked into, before this begins happening on a regular basis. Its only a matter of time before a young child is dragged off. Im not sure that hasn't already happened.

[Chris1955]

They are talking about this across the web like it is new.

We have had several attacks in Washington State in the last few years in one case they took on a woman and her dog over in the Tr-Cities and in another they invaded a school in Bellvue and were biting the kids.bounty hunt them years ago and they are predators, and had them come after me when I had them dead to rights (can't fault them for that, but there was no way they were gonna win.)

The are predators, and I have seen them take a deer with my own eyes, and seen direct evidence they couldl kill large farm animals. Iusually got my leads from farmers and ranchers who tired of their depredations.

Originally they were primarily found out here and were kept in check by wolves who killed them when possible, however as they migrated east, they apparently gained in size, wiki and others report the 30-40 lbs ones we have here become 80-90 pounders when they hit the mid-west and east of there.

If so I coud see how they might kill a healthy adult, though around here they fear man for good reason.

From hunting them I know they are ikely smarter then any normal dog, have the ability to teach other coyotes things, and their hearing is incredible. If you are trying to kil them they are very skilled at avoiding you, if they know that is what you are doing.

I know they can communiccate with each other, not as good as we can, but they can warn and advise each other, I have tried to ambush some and had their partners snitch me off at a distance.

I think the attacks here and back east (there was some reported as far as in Massachusetts) are due to them losing their fear of us, not rabies or any other thing.

They ae as I noted, very smart, conversant at working in small groups, able to communicate in a rudimentary manner, and they are really predators. What keeps them in check noramlly is that other bigger predators like cougars and wolves kill them, in the case of cougars as food. (One of my Salish hunting partners claimed to want to work a deal with the cats, we give them the meat and they fork over the hides.)

I know that in 'the wild' a coyote pair needs far more room then they need in a 'civilized' area, it woudl not suprise me to hear the size was close to a square mile, while many multiples of that can live in proximity to humans by learning to either live off our eavings, or prey on our livestock and pets.

As I noted, they teach each other, if one coyote learns to open you chicken coop the whole group will ahve that skill realy quickly.

So in short, I can see how this is happening, and until humans decide to reinstall fear of us in them, I would expect the attacks to go on.

Some of the communities here in the west are 'hazing' them with paintball guns especially and sometimes with peperbasll in them to give them aversion therapy, but we still use the old .30 caliber standby, if you shoot wone of the alpha pack members, the rest will steer cear of you for years.

[Jimrob1]

Yes there have been several attacks in Massachusetts on Cape Cod. There wasn't much talk of it, until one of the anchors on a Boston TV station had her dogs snatched by several of them.