Coyotes. How dangerous? (rabbits, raccoon, Virginia, dog)

[thedwightguy]

Originally Posted by BlackShoe

Not so. In October 2009 a 19 year old woman was killed on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, by coyotes. At first it was believed that two coyotes killed the young woman, but later investigation now believes that there were three. The girl apparently ran from the coyotes, a dreadful mistake when facing predators, since it triggers the chase and attack instinct in them. The animals were hybrids, coyotes that in earlier generations had mated with Eastern wolves, Canis Lupus Lycaon, and had wolf dna. These hybrids tend to be nearly half again as large as our pure strain Western coyote, with males averaging a hefty 35-40 pounds, with the rare very large animal as much as 50.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/10/28/ns-coyote-attack-died.html

Has it been confirmed that this young woman was wearing earphones and the "startle" effect promped the attack? The first story indicated that she was composing music and liked being out in nature for inspiration.
Nevertheless, in town or out being area aware is always a good idea.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Re the woman killed by coyotes
Predators r not afraid of humans
sierra club lied
Walking around coyotes with head sets is same with any predator even human version
Predators all predators r afraid of guns not humans
Signed uncle Wolfy

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by J5K5LY

My sister lives in NJ and works in the schools. She just told me that they won't let kids out to play or even have soccer practice because someone spotted what is believed to be a coyote. She thinks there may be a family of them nearby with babies. Is this really a danger for a huge group of noisy kids?

We have lived in a few areas with Coyotes and for the most part, unless they are rabid or something, they are more afraid of us than we of them. They do love to have little 4 legged creatures for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but kids are not 4 legged.

I do understand the schools reaction: it is caused "law suites" if anything happened to even one of those kids, you can imagine the outrage, not to mention, how badly the school administrators would feel, knowing there was a wild animal anywhere around the school yard.

So to answer your question: probably the school is over-reacting, but better to be safe than sorry.

[bjh]

Coyotes don't attack humans. Pets is another thing. Their motive is food. In some cases humans have moved into the coyotes home territory.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by bjh

Coyotes don't attack humans. Pets is another thing. Their motive is food. In some cases humans have moved into the coyotes home territory.

In the majority of cases your right. However; you cannot group all coyotes alike. You could say the same for humans – most of us do not kill other humans (but not all of us). Coyotes age like humans. Coyotes also live with deferring stages of hunger, social drives and parenthood. Different animals (even in the same species) have different temperaments. Some coyotes are mixed breeds and much larger.
All I am saying is to respect the animal for what it is – a predator.

My PA Game Commission loved to say that our eastern coyotes only preyed on the weak and helpless. I personally saw them go after a spike buck. They had already drawn blood. The animal looked healthy; except for the blood. I am guessing that , as a hunter, the deer probably weighed about 125 to 150 pounds. My father and brother-in-law watched coyotes go after a four point buck. Both of these animals were faster and stronger than many humans.

I just don't like to hear anybody say 'never' and what difference does it make that we moved into their territory (it is what it is).

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I do understand the schools reaction: it is caused "law suites" if anything happened to even one of those kids, you can imagine the outrage, not to mention, how badly the school administrators would feel, knowing there was a wild animal anywhere around the school yard.

So to answer your question: probably the school is over-reacting, but better to be safe than sorry.

We had an example of over reacting here in Orange County in May 2004 when administrators pressed the panic button, over, of all things, a pair of tom bobcats having a turf fight in a tree. This was only 4 months after the Whiting Ranch cougar killing of a man, so folks were a bit jumpy over felines. What the Times article omits is all the fuss the bobcats caused. Just about every bureaucracy possible was called and got involved; the OC Sheriff, animal control, Dept of Fish & Game, the OC Register, etc. The school was put on lockdown, as was another nearby school. All this over a couple of bobcats! LOL. A healthy mature SoCal tom bobcat averages around 20 pounds. While these are very tough animals, in fact, on a one on one basis more formidable than a coyote, they are almost zero threat to humans, even a child.
Aliso Viejo School Is Bobcat Country - Los Angeles Times

[phonelady61]

okay for all of you who said coyotes dont attack humans , how many of you have grown up near wyoming , montana or s dakota , n dakota these states and people who have lived in them know what coyotes are capable of and dont take that lightly . I grew up in Montana and our father made sure our riffles were loaded everytime we rode in the high country . I respect guns and nature and know that sometimes they run into each other .But for any of you who say that coyotes wont attack humans you dont know what the hell you are talking about .

[Osito]

There is a huge pack of coyotes near my mother's house and there's never been a problem that I know of in regards to people. They are however a danger to pets.

[tovarisch]

Stats say the critters that are MOST dangerous to humans, in the US, are the following, in order: 1) other humans (by far); 2) the family dog (by far); 3) insects (wasps, hornets, etc.). Everything else is WAY down on the list, statistically. Use that info to teach your kids.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by tovarisch

Stats say the critters that are MOST dangerous to humans, in the US, are the following, in order: 1) other humans (by far); 2) the family dog (by far); 3) insects (wasps, hornets, etc.). Everything else is WAY down on the list, statistically. Use that info to teach your kids.

According to this article: 10 Deadliest Creatures in the United States Bambi is the number one killer behind humans.

All I have said is that nature is nature. The time that you don't respect it is the time it will bite you in the butt (which is the coyote way).

Last year we heard of three or four rabid beaver attacks. I never heard of a beaver attack in my 65 years (now 66) before last summer.

Hollywood is Hollywood and Disney World is Disney World. Anything can happen in the real world – life doesn't always follow the script.