Coyotes kill hiker

[Scott Fairbairn]

I thought I'd post this as I have never heard of this happening, most of the time when I am in the wild, I am concerned about bears, but after reading this, I will be watching out for coyotes as well.
http://www.canada.com/travel/Coyote+att ... story.html

[Paul Fusco]

I believe this is the first documented case of coyotes attacking and killing an adult human.

- Paul

[OntPhoto]

Have traveled the Cabot Trail a number of times. Back in 2004 I came upon a number of people feeding a coyote by the side of the road. They were tearing pieces of a sandwich and throwing it at the coyote. One of the guys was a moose hunting guide. Coyote would come out to retrieve the food and head back into the trees and foliage. I took some photos and didn't think much about it. Next day went back hoping to see the coyote again and hike the trail as well.

Park Warden's truck parked by side of road and trail where people fed coyote day before was now closed. Apparently, a coyote was reported stalking some hikers earlier in the morning. Likely same one that had been fed. Park warden explained the coyote had circled their truck and they had to shoot at it. The coyote yelped and disappeared into the woods. It was never found again. The warden hoped the coyote would now be "gun shy" and not return. Coyotes that show aggressive behaviour are not relocated but killed instead.

I wondered if the aggressive behaviour was due to rabies but the warden explained that if it were rabies, you would hear about it from hikers because it wouldn't be limited to just one animal. There would normally be more than one animal affected and the reports would come in. I heard that there were other such incidents although they are rare.

The Skyline Trail where the 19 year old girl (story linked above) was killed offers a beautiful vista of the Cabot Trail. The trail is also known as a great place for seeing moose. I saw a number of moose up close while hiking the trail. Hope to go back soon but you can be sure I'll never walk it the same. Carrying a monopod at minimum and a canister of bear spray.


Coyote that was being fed.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/36024676/original

http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/36303293/original

Warden's truck next to closed trail.
http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/36024678

[Kari Post]

Thats really a shame. Maybe three years ago they killed a coyote in my town because a kid saw one outside of his high school (possibly hit by a car) and picked it up and brought it in the building, and then, go figure, it bit him. I hope this doesn't cause a huge coyote scare now. People don't need any more excuses to kill the little wildlife we have left roaming around.

[Rhode Island]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

[signgrap]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

Are the coyoyes aware of this

[walkinman]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

Hey Rhode Island,

Perhaps wolves and mountain lions need to be reintroduced to the eastern US so that coyotes will go away?

Cheers

Carl

[Rhode Island]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

Hey Rhode Island,

Perhaps wolves and mountain lions need to be reintroduced to the eastern US so that coyotes will go away?

Cheers

Carl

Perhaps.

Although given that coyotes coexist with other predators across the west, and given that much of the eastern U.S. is inhospitable to large carnivores, I doubt that reintroductions would ever result in coyote extirpation.

[Scott Fairbairn]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

Either is Cape Breton National Park!

[Rhode Island]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

Either is Cape Breton National Park!

No, but New Jersey is. My comment was in response to Kari. Should have made that more clear.

[walkinman]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

Hey Rhode Island,

Perhaps wolves and mountain lions need to be reintroduced to the eastern US so that coyotes will go away?

Cheers

Carl

Perhaps.

Although given that coyotes coexist with other predators across the west, and given that much of the eastern U.S. is inhospitable to large carnivores, I doubt that reintroductions would ever result in coyote extirpation.

Hey Rhode Island

Possibly not - though almost certainly a reduction in number, eh?

I'm not sure of the point though? They're not endemic to eastern US so we (who are similarly recent inhabitants) should extirpate them?

Cheers

Carl

[OntPhoto]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

Hey Rhode Island,

Perhaps wolves and mountain lions need to be reintroduced to the eastern US so that coyotes will go away?

Cheers

Carl

Oh great. Mountain lions and wolves? I'll take my chances with the coyotes

[Paul Fusco]

Actually there was an Eastern gray wolf that was shot and killed in Western Massachusetts about two years ago. The animal's origin was not known until it was shot and tissue or blood was sent to be tested. The animal turned out to be a pure blooded Eastern gray wolf. Speculation was that it somehow found its way down from Quebec or Ontario.

There are also unconfirmed reports that surface from time to time of mountain lions in the northeast. Photos were taken of one in Miane a number of years ago, and scat was tested in Massachusetts that turned out to be positive for mountain lion. A population that does not make, but the question is out there. Are those predators slowly working their way back on their own???

- P

[walkinman]

... snip ... those predators slowly working their way back on their own???
- P

Hey Paul,

One can only hope.

Cheers

Carl

[Rhode Island]

I'm not sure of the point though? They're not endemic to eastern US so we (who are similarly recent inhabitants) should extirpate them?

I didn't say that, did I? Although, if they were exotic plants, insects, fish, etc., we would at least try to control them and most would support the effort. But because they are charismatic marco-vertebrates, they seem to get a get-out-of jail free card.

Just pointing out this inconsistency which can be applied to other exotic large mammals and birds as well.

[walkinman]

Hey Rhode Island

What environmental damage are coyotes doing in the eastern united states to endemic species? Perhaps we should compare the damage we do with that of such 'vermin' (and I include exotic plants, insects, fish, etc here) and examine what it is we really might do well to 'control'.

But the issue Kari seemed to be making had nothing to do with 'control' of populations.

Cheers

Carl

[Rhode Island]

My initial post said nothing of population control. You inferred that was what I was getting at, and my subsequent posts were in response to your inference. Actually, all I wanted to point out was that Kari seemed to be overly concerned for the well-being of wildlife that is in fact exotic to the area where she lives, and if the topic were the spraying of Phragmites, the pulling of Russian olive, or the poisoning of Asian carp, her reaction would likely be completely different.

And, since you asked, I know that coyotes are major nest predators of several endangered or threatened birds, such as piping plovers and least terns. They are also known to prey upon other wildlife species that are declining in the NE U.S., such as ruffed grouse, northern bobwhite, and New England cottontail rabbits. Of course these species have many larger problems above and beyond coyotes, but dealing with an invasive predator can't be helping their situation any . . .

[walkinman]

Hey Rhode Island,

I think it's pretty reasonable to assume commentary involving the phrase 'invasive species' is generally negative, and almost always rooted in some form of environmental destruction - as deemed by ourselves, the world's greatest destroyers. The examples you gave above reiterate that.

I also think it's unfair to say because a species is not endemic to a region that we ought care less about its welfare; which is what Kari seemed to be saying, to me. Maybe not, but that's how I read it.

That all said, the invasive species is an interesting discussion, and I do agree with you that we tend to, too often, label one species 'exotics and invasive', while not others (including ourselves).

Cheers

Carl

[Jim Zipp]

Remember that coyotes are not native to the eastern United States . . .

I think that depends on what your definition of native is. Species are always changing their range due to various reasons from changing landscape to weather changes. Cardinals for example were scarce in New England and not at all in northern New England a hundred years ago and are now plentiful to say the least. Does that mean they are not "native"? There is a constant ebb and flow of critters although typically a lot more ebb than flow these days! Coyote's were not "introduced" and expanded into the east on their own just like Cardinals did from the south. Both may not be historic but are at least by my definition native.

[Rhode Island]

Coyote expansion was a direct result of human modification of the eastern landscape. For 10,000 years before European settlement there were likely few to no coyotes east of the Mississippi River. While they may be native to the continent they are not, by definition, native to the eastern U.S. There are lots of examples of North American Wildlife that have expanded their ranges and/or populations thanks to human modification, and are now considered problematic for native wildlife. The barred owl in the western U.S. (a competitor to the spotted owl), the brown headed cowbird (nest parasitism of other native songbirds) and raccoons (nest predation of all sorts of ground nesting birds) are three examples that come to mind. These wildlife species are all "native" to the U.S., but are of major management concern in many areas. Of course it's not their fault (it is ours), but the fact still remains that they are a problem.

Moreover, Homo sapiens have inhabited this continent for at least 20,000 years. Does that mean we are not invasive, as Carl suggests?

RI