Cape Breton coyote attack kills touring folk singer
SYDNEY, N.S. - One day after young Toronto woman Taylor Mitchell succumbed to injuries sustained during a coyote attack, park staff on Thursday continued to hunt for one of two coyotes involved in the mauling.
Carcasses of dead animals were put out in an attempt to lure coyotes near Skyline Trail in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
A park warden was on-site to keep the public away from the trail and four resource conservation officers walked about with guns, as they attempted to find any coyotes acting aggressively.
"They're observing animal behaviour, just seeing what other coyotes are in the area," said Chip Bird, field unit superintendent for Parks Canada. "We have shot one of the coyotes that were involved, or that we think was involved, and so they're still searching for other animals."
Mitchell, 19, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter was hiking alone Tuesday afternoon when she was attacked by a pair of coyotes. She died in hospital early Wednesday morning.
Mitchell, born Taylor Josephine Stephanie Luciow, was to perform at a bar in Sydney on Wednesday.
The body of a dead coyote was sent it to the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island for examination.
Bird said he has received reports the second coyote has been shot, but said officials have yet to retrieve its body. Traps were also set out following the attack, but no other coyotes have been captured.
"You'd have to appreciate this is a very shy, very smart animal and it's not easy to trap them," he said.
According to the Department of Natural Resources, to date, there have been no reported cases of rabies in coyotes in Nova Scotia.
However, coyotes can carry canine heartworm, tapeworm, distemper and mange.
I honestly didn't know a coyote would kill a person I thought they were like large ugly mangey retarded poodles.
Oh, and if this is a dupe, lock and stuff.
