Toronto Woman Killed by Coyotes in Cape Breton

[Galgo]

Woman seriously injured in coyote attack

By DAVENE JEFFREY Staff Reporter | UPDATED
Tue. Oct 27 - 5:01 PM

A 19-year-old woman was in critical condition in a Halifax hospital after two coyotes attacked her Tuesday afternoon while she was hiking in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

The teenager’s injuries are “very, very serious,” said Sgt. Brigdit Leger, a provincial spokeswoman for the RCMP.
Emergency Health Services spokesman Paul Maynard said the hiker was in critical condition with bites “all over the body.”

RCMP received a 911 call at about 3:15 p.m. that a pair of coyotes were mauling a hiker on the Skyline Trail.

Paramedics took her to Sacred Heart Hospital in Cheticamp, where doctors tried to stabilize her, Mr. Maynard said. She was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, arriving early in the evening.

Mr. Maynard said the woman was hiking in a group at the time of the attack.

Sgt. Leger did not know where the woman lives.

A Mountie shot and killed one of the coyotes that continued to be aggressive, police said in a news release. The other coyote escaped into the woods.

Park wardens could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

Marieve Therriault, a heritage co-ordinator with Parks Canada, had been hiking in the park earlier in the day but was attending an appointment at the time the woman was attacked and didn’t hear about it until she got home and heard a message on her answering machine.

Ms. Therriault said she had not heard any previous reports of odd coyote behaviour in the park.

The mauling was the talk of the town in Cheticamp, about 25 minutes from the park.

Folks at the local firehall and coffee shops had all heard about the attack on the news but didn’t know the victim’s name.

Dalhousie University researcher Simon Gadbois was shocked to hear of the coyote attack when reached at home in Halifax on Tuesday night.

“This is really out of character for this species,” he said.

Mr. Gadbois, an animal behaviourist, spent years studying wolves, coyotes and foxes and now studies dog behaviour. He has worked with coyotes both in the wild and tame ones raised in captivity.

“When they are tame, they are very doggy-like,” he said.

He said Cape Breton coyotes interbred somewhat with wolves in the past and are larger than their Prairie cousins. They also tend to live in small family packs, unlike their relatives in Western Canada, he said.

Even a wolf attack on a hiker would be very unusual but more likely than a coyote attack, Mr. Gadbois said.

He said very young adult coyotes can be unpredictable hunters but he couldn’t explain going after a hiker.

He said he is anxious to hear what Natural Resources Department officers will have to say about the mauling and what autopsy results on the dead coyote might reveal.

In the meantime, Mr. Gadbois said, the attack could be bad news for the coyote population if people start to demand a cull.

“The fallback here is quite serious for coyotes in this case,” he said.

With Laura Fraser and Dan Arsenault, staff reporters

[dick195252]

Send this article to PETA and see what them NUTS have too say about this!!! Truely a Sad Story.

[fdegurse]

All coyotes in my cross hairs will get the trigger,

[Pydpiper]

I guess those evil "pull the coyote from the hole" guys wern't around..

[TB]

She passed away last night. They've shot one that was still agressive to the cops

[Grizzly Adam]

In the meantime, Mr. Gadbois said, the attack could be bad news for the coyote population if people start to demand a cull. “The fallback here is quite serious for coyotes in this case,” he said.

Culling them is just what needs to be done.

[Worriedman]

In the meantime, Mr. Gadbois said, the attack could be bad news for the coyote population if people start to demand a cull.

“The fallback here is quite serious for coyotes in this case,” he said.

Seems that it was fairly serious for the young lady too!

[HW]

The victim has passed away from her injuries. It was just on the news this morning.

[VixChix]

Very, very tragic!

Last year it seemed I was hearing coyotes every time I was out - not this season though. But there are also far less deer tracks. Coincidence?

[MADMAX2]

Very sad my sympathies go to her family I think a bounty should come back!!

[Galgo]

This is timely for me becasue last week I walked into my deer stand as I usually do - alone at 6:00 am.

I heard a yote yelp from the direction of my car which was anout 300 yards away now and I had about another 150 yards to walk thru head-tall grass to my stand.

Suddenly a yote responded from less than a hundred yards to my right and then a whole pack started howling then yelping in a very excitied franetic tone from the same spot.

They were definitely on to me and, I think, trying to decide whether or not to treat like a predater or breakfast.

I quickly caulked the bow and loaded a bolt, I had left my decent buck knife in the car. I put on my head lamp and turned it on. They started runnign to parallel my track. I knew their track took them up to the ridge where my stand was. They would either turn right and leave or turn left and create the perfect ambush from high ground in tall grass.

I moved forward figuring my light would give them away and they would not paricularly like the light.

I got to my stand without further incident. Just as I reached it the century Yote that was at my car gave another yelp from the exact spot that I was standing when i first heard him.

I told my buddy the story and to be a little more cautious and prepared when either of us walks in, then this happens...lesson learned.

Anyone else have close calls with yotes?


F

[Alaspan]

Just finished discussing this very tragic story with a very good friend of mine who hunts up near Barney's River in Nova Scotia.

He was telling me that he was field dressing a buck two years ago and the coyotes had formed up around him.

He described the experience as 'very eerie'. He indexed his ammo pouch just to make sure. They did not move in on him - thankfully.
Could have been ugly...

[Grizzly Adam]

I go heeled in the woods.

And I carry a razor sharp sheath knife.

I can do some shootin' in a jiffy, and I've got that big tooth for backup.

Why take chances?

If you lived here, you'd understand.

[N8tr Boy]

Not to make all quezzy , but when I took the trapping coarse this past winter, our instructors told us the best lure you could use when hunting fox, coyote , wolves, deer are women during their cycle. I believe that is what happened here and I do not think it will be put over the air waves. Sorry for the details
She was on her own and that isn't always the best in the wilderness areas.
Pyd am I correct in saying this?

[crazyfarmer]

after getting yotes on camera here I always have my knife handy. You just never know what could happen walking out in the dark. Its not much you can do with a bow. Thats why i'll be glad when gun season gets here. Granted, the chances of a attack are slim, but im sure that hiker thought the samething.

sorry to hear about this:( I know its rare to see this and chances are probably better of being hit by lightning. We have to remember, that we are at natures mercy. Just like going into the water and getting attacked by a shark.