Thursday, October 29, 2009

Hiker, 19, killed by coyotes -- UPDATED

~Two coyotes attack Canadian singer/songwriter~

[Update: To leave memorials and photos, go to taylormitchell.ca. Updated links are below.]

From Chart Attack:
Taylor Mitchell, a Toronto-based singer/songwriter, died earlier Wednesday (Oct. 28) in Halifax after being attacked by a coyote in Cape Breton during a Maritime tour. She was 19. The Cape Breton Post reports Mitchell succumbed to her injuries....
It goes on to say:
...received a 911 call on Tuesday (Oct. 27) from a hiker who saw Mitchell — who apparently had been hiking alone — attacked by two coyotes on the Skyline Trail, a favorite hiking trail located in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Reports indicated she had bite wounds all over her body.One of the coyotes was shot, but its body has not been found. A second coyote escaped into the woods.
We have had problems with coyotes in this part of Virginia for years. I saw one last week in western Augusta County in the broad daylight of afternoon running in a field beside the road. They are fearless but it is rather rare for humans to be attacked and killed.

Such a sad ending to a young, promising life full of music....

- Cape Breton Post: She had a real joy of life
- National Post: She loved 'beauty, serenity' of woods
- Blog: Taylor Mitchell's living legacy
- North By East West Blog: Taylor Mitchell remembered

1 comment:

annofbigbeach said...

Tourists as well as locals tend to feed foxes on Cape Breton Island - there is talk that the coyotes that killed the young folksinger had probably been fed by humans all summer, therefore, they were not afraid of approaching the girl. They were hungry, as the tourist season is over. It's tragic, but her death was OUR fault, not the coyote's. The Park should put up signs not to feed wild animals and each trail should be manned by park rangers.