Posted on 10/28/2009 12:33:10 PM PDT by Borges
Taylor Mitchell, a 19-year-old Toronto singer whose debut album was released in March, has died in a Nova Scotia hospital after being mauled by coyotes in a Cape Breton park.
Mitchell was hiking Tuesday on the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park when she was attacked by two coyotes. Another hiker, who was walking nearby, heard her cries for help and called 911.
Officers arrived about 3:15 p.m., and one of the coyotes fled into the bush. The other coyote was shot and limped away.
Mitchell was airlifted to a hospital in Halifax, where she died early Wednesday.
"I spoke to her mother late last night and at one point we thought, she was stable," said manager Lisa Weitz, "but she had lost too much blood."
The singer and songwriter, who loved the outdoors, had started her East Coast tour on Oct. 23 in New Brunswick and was scheduled to perform in Sydney tonight. "She had a small break and (she) wanted to go hiking," said Weitz.
Mitchell, whose MySpace photograph has her standing in the woods with a guitar in one hand, released her debut album this March.
A website review describes her album as "a collection of mostly original songs that showcases a range of styles, from folk to country-rock to pop."
Born and raised in Toronto, Mitchell studied music from an early age and graduated in 2008 from Etobicoke School of the Arts.
She was very excited to be touring the Maritimes, said Weitz. "She was just exhilarated to be on the road and performing."
Friends and family are in shock, said Weitz.
In Nova Scotia, Don Anderson, a biologist with that province's Natural Resources Department, said coyote attacks in the area are uncommon, but they do happen from time to time.
An Ontario girl was bitten on the same trail several years ago, Anderson said.
Ethel Merry, owner of the nearby Cheticamp Motel, said the incident was unfortunate but she wasn't surprised to hear about it. She said the motel is about 10 kilometres from the entrance of the park but she often sees coyotes.
"My home is a 100 feet from (the motel) but if it's dark outside, I don't walk alone," she said. "I've seen too many coyotes."
Merry said the attack hasn't fazed locals or park visitors. "Skyline Trail is one of the most beautiful and famous trails in the park. This isn't stopping any hikers," she said.
The park is on the northern tip of Cape Breton Island.
From massive blood loss and hypotension you can get into multiple organ failure.
If it persists for a long enough interval no force outside of heaven will rescue you.
Blood replacement wouldn’t reverse the damage.
I really doubt this is the first time this has happened.
Far too many think everything in nature is warm and fuzzy.
“A decent knife would have saved her.”
Probably can’t carry a decent knife in Canada either.
I prefer a 6 iron. It used to be a 5 iron, but I replaced all my long irons with hybrids.
Such is the life of a golfer!
(Oh, yeah - we have coyotes on our courses. Foxes, too, but they really don't pose a problem.)
CA....
“Another hiker, who was walking nearby, heard her cries for help and called 911. “
I sincerely hope he did more than just call 911. The state of manhood in Canada cannot have fallen that far.
Ever heard of Rabies in Foxes? The Humboldt Bay area had several Fox on Human attacks this year. I'll try to find a link...
These guys turn tail at the sound of a booming voice (which I have!).
Maybe a month ago or so, my wife and I are approaching (almost on) the green after a long par 5. We saw 2 foxes that were over by the cart path (we were walking) frolicking, having a good time. We knew we'd run into them eventually, as our paths were on intersect.
Upon reaching the green, one of the foxes bounded over a small hill that buttresses the green (you have to see this green; that's why I use this word!), and was immediately met with a loud “Don't even think of it!”
He immediately turned a ran. His “playmate” stood there watching me for a moment like I was crazy, then ran, too, after I started approaching with an iron in hand.
I've had these guys walk within 2 feet of me without incident, but it's not something I would want to do on a daily basis, if you will.
All wild critters that are predatory are dangerous, no two ways about it, but if you're ever in a situation where you encounter them, the first rule is, you cannot show fear.
And for God's sake, have a weapon at hand.
If these critters were even thought to be rabid, they'd be trapped and destroyed, as the course is on a condo development that serves well-to-do clientele. And if they didn't do that, I'd carry.
Or give up golf.
(Ha! Fat chance!)
CA....
You could kick them. In the head.
Dogs do not beat Man in numbers like that.
Coyotes are just dogs, not even big ones.
And mine, too. Very sad.
Coyotes are a fact of life here in the Sacramento area, especially when we were in the middle of that building boom a few years ago.
But three years ago, husband and I were sitting out on the back patio having a drink and onto our patio walks a coyote pup, maybe 10 weeks old. Not acting at all aggressive -- a sad little thing looking for his momma with big sorry eyes. Husband jumped up and chased it out (rightly so), but for the next couple of days & nights I could hear him howling for his parents who were likely already dead or gone. I don't think that he survived -- he was too young to hunt.
I know that he would grow up to be a pet killer, and chasing him off was the kinder option, but I've often thought about him.
Just finished checking that from your other post.
Excellent info and it sure blows holes in the environuts calls to live in harmony with predators.
I think it's safe to say that in N.W. Kansas such an incident would never happen. Coyotes are hunted and shot on sight to the point that if one sees or hears you, no matter how far away, they hightail it......and that's the way it should be.
FWIW, I just heard on the news this evening that a 3 pack of coyotes is roaming around either Grosse Point Shores or St. Clair shores, here in S.E. Michigan and residents should be on the look out....
I live in Ocean County but the barn I rent is in Monmouth County. Landlord won’t allow us to have a dog or a donkey. But we have a renter who is a hunter & he watches our horses 24/7 thankfully. Where are you at? I came from Glen Ridge/Bloomfield area. We had a summer house at the shore & my mother decided she wanted to live there year round so we moved when I was a teenager.
Okay y’all - this is our coyote -
My friend has a pelt hanging in his den - they are quite handsome
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Wildlife_profiles/profile_eastern_coyote.htm
Beautiful and talented. That is a part of the risk of hiking out in the wilderness like she did. RIP.
Many years ago I was trapping Raccoons in our orchard and I would check the trap before going to bed and dispatch any Coons with 22 shorts and leave them until morning. Well one night I shined my light in the cage and pure hate was staring back at me. I have never seen eyes that red in my life and the snarl was prehistoric and then I realized it was a Red Fox. I backed out of the gate and in the morning I tied a rope to the cage and pulled it next to the fence, went outside and released the Devil with one hand and my 22 K100 in the other incase he wanted to Tattoo me.
Two years later the county closed the dump and the Dump Bears showed up and destroyed most of the fruit trees...
We picnicked all day and the geese did too, proving they didn't need my help! Your theory doesn't hold water. regards
Yes, I am aware of the Situation concerning handguns in Canada.
Hopefully, Someday, The Canadians will have a ReAwakening.
I have these hopes for the US as well.
If Not, We may all slide into the same Hole together.
That Hole is a Centrally Planned Society with very little Freedom.
Just like in Cambodia, We will all be servants of the Elite.
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