Coyotes kill hiker

From CBC news 11/05/09:
Two more coyotes were destroyed this week in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in the wake of a fatal attack on a hiker.

Taylor Mitchell, 19, a folk singer from Toronto, was hiking alone along the Skyline Trail on Oct. 27 when she was attacked by at least two coyotes. She suffered multiple bites and died later in a Halifax hospital.

Parks Canada staff tracked down and destroyed one coyote that same night. The animal was sent for testing to the Atlantic Veterinary Centre, which confirmed the coyote was involved in the attack.

Chip Bird, field unit superintendent with Parks Canada in Cape Breton, said Thursday that one of the two coyotes killed Wednesday was near the scene of the attack on Mitchell.

"The second was at the immediate area of the attack and from the description that our staff there have received from witnesses, and from the behaviour of the coyote, it was very clear to them that was the second animal that we've been looking for," Byrd said.

The third coyote killed was a large male, he said. The animal was displaying aggressive behaviour, including apparent lack of fear of humans and growling.

He said experts are satisfied that they have put down the animals involved in the attack on Mitchell.

Mitchell had been on a tour through the Maritimes, including a host of gigs slated for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

On a stop in Sydney, she decided to visit Cape Breton Highlands National Park. According to park officials, other hikers nearby managed to scare off the animals and call 911. The singer was hospitalized in Cheticamp and later airlifted to Halifax, where she died at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.


I am still shocked that it was coyotes that did this. No more go by me!
Ray