Canadian Woman Attacked And Killed By Two Coyotes

*Scroll for Update*

An up and coming musician and young Canadian woman, Taylor Mitchell, who was solo hiking in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia on Tuesday, was attacked by two coyotes and died from her injuries.

AOL News has more of what has happened. My prayers go out to the family and friends of Ms. Mitchell.

*Update*12:20 p.m. 10/29/09

As pertains to this coyote attack on the woman, Dr. Valerius Geist, professor emeritus University of Calgary, has offered some commentary, tips and advice.

In view of yesterday’s fatal attack on a 19 year old lady by two coyotes in Cape Breton National Park, please allow me a commentary, which I ask you to distribute to your affected colleagues.

1.Both coyotes and wolves have an identical manner of targeting alternative prey, and this process is drawn out and specific, so that one gets fair warning well ahead of the first attack by wolves or coyotes on people. This targeting process proceeds in steps. Please see the appended file Appendix B (from Will Graves 2007 Russian Wolves. Anxiety through the Ages. Detselig, Calgary, Alberta, Canada) for the process in wolves. (Also see “When Wolves Become a Problem to Humans” by Dr. Geist)
Please note, according to interviews with hikers and park staff, coyotes in the park had reached stages f to h. In short, if you are aware of this targeting process you would have been highly alarmed by coyotes showing stage f behavior. The coyotes were, clearly, on the way to attacking humans.
Note also the study of coyotes in urban parks targeting children (Baker, R. O. and R. M. Timm 1998. Management of conflict between urban coyotes and humans in southern California. Pp. 229-312 in R. O. Baker and A. C. Crabb eds. Proc. 18th Vertebrate Pest Conference, University of California, Davis). Also, the pattern of wounding as described by the press indicates that this attack was an exploratory one.

2. The coyotes in question were a colonizing, fringe population characterized by large size. This is a give-away informing that the coyotes in question have assumed the Dispersal phenotype, an epi-genetic adaptive syndrome of species during colonization. Such individuals are characterized by very bold assertive behavior and rapid learning. (See Chapter 6. How genes communicate with the environment – the biology of inequality. pp. 116-144. In Geist, V. 1978. Life Strategies, Human Evolution, Environmental Design. Springer Verlag, New York; Geist, V. 1989. Environmentally guided phenotype plasticity in mammals and some of its consequences to theoretical and applied biology. pp. 153 176. In M.N. Bruton (ed.) Alternative Life History Styles of Animals. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Or if you have my 1998 Deer of the World, please see pp. 3-8).

3.. I am all too keenly aware as a practicing ethologist that North American biologists have hopelessly muddled the understanding of habituation and its consequences, in part by our Yellowstone colleagues in their “disneyfication” of wolves. And I am afraid that some of our parks Canada colleagues may also be under that spell. You do not need feeding of coyotes to habituate them to people. Although it certainly helps and hastens the process of the coyote exploring people. Habituation is unconsummated exploration. I am appending a lengthy paper I gave in 2005 to the Wildlife Society, but for various reasons of no concern here have not published (excepting what is referred above to Appendix B).

Best regards, Val Geist

*Editor’s Note* If I can get that “appending”, I will post it here for you.

Tom Remington

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Nova Scotia Will Ban Deer Scents

In an effort to prevent chronic wasting disease from spreading into the Canadian province, Nova Scotia announced that it will ban the use and importation of deer lures and scents that are derived from the bodily fluids of the animal. Fluids extracted from deer are often used as a lure for other deer by hunters. Hunters soak cotton balls, strips of cloth or spray directly on the ground in hopes of attracting bucks to a specified area.

According to officials in Nova Scotia, many of the farms that extract the fluids aren’t well regulated. Officials say Nova Scotia has no known cases of chronic wasting disease and are setting their goals to do whatever they can to make it doesn’t happen.

Tom Remington

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Bullwinkle The Moose Foils Poaching Attempt

In Nova Scotia, a father and son team found out how costly it is to shoot a mechanical moose named Bullwinkle. The robotic moose has been used in stings in the mainland to rout out moose poachers. The moose is considered an endangered species and efforts are underway to protect it.

Francis Langille 52, of Liscomb and his son Trevor, 24 or Halifax both pleaded guilty. Each had to pay a fine of $8,100, lost their rifles and privileges to hunt – the younger Langille for 20 years and the elder for 10 years.

I guess if your dumb enough to shoot at a robot, your dumb enough to pay the fine.

Tom Remington

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Where Are The Moose Hunters In Nova Scotia?

Last year by May 31, 2005, officials had received 11,051 applications for 345 moose permits. As of May 31, 2006, only about 7,000 applications had been received. Officials decided to extend the application process another 5 days and the drawing for the permits will take place on June 13 and winners will be notified by mail.

If you haven’t applied, here’s a chance to get it done. Hunters can apply by calling 1-900-565-3337 or by writing to Moose Draw, Wildlife Division, 136 Exhibition St., Kentville, B4N 4E5.

Tom Remington

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Bullwinkle Costs Hunter Lots

A Nova Scotia man got the book thrown at him on Monday for trying to shoot Bullwinkle the moose. Bullwinkle is a moose decoy used by Nova Scotia officials to help them nab poachers. The moose was placed on the endangered species list in mainland Nova Scotia last year but there still seems to be a problem with those seeking to have some moose meat.

Robert Lee McLaren, 49, of Pugwash Junction was driving down the road with his wife and child when he spotted Bullwinkle in the field. He stopped his car, took out his .30-06, rested it across the hood of his car and pulled the trigger. Officials moved in. It was not said whether he hit the moose or not.

McLaren pleaded guilty and lost his right to hunt for twenty years, had the car he was driving in confiscated, lost his rifle and has to pay a fine of $4,025 or face 72 days in jail.

There are eight more local residents awaiting their day in court as well.

Tom Remington

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Two Nova Scotia Men Get the Book Thrown At Them

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