Canadian Woman Killed by Coyotes

[JAK]

We have them in the woods around our neighbourhood, where the woods are large enough. They are very wary of people, but there are alot more deer in our neighbourhood over the past 15 years, so I think that is why they are showing up. I've only encountered them once, out on the ice in winter, and I saw signes of them after I camped on Long Island on the Kennebecasis River not to far from where I live.

It is true that we always have a certain population of coy-dogs in the province, which are an Eastern Coyote - Domestic Dog mix. They can be dangerous as they may have less natural fear of humans. The Eastern Coyote can be quite large and capable, but is generally very wary, even more so than our Black Bear, which is also very wary of humans. Less wary Coyotes and Coy-Dogs tend to be the ones that get shot by hunters and farmers and such, which tends to keep the population more wary, but there population seems to be increasing nonetheless. Very adaptable animal, so its behaviour should be expected to change over time.

By comparison, last time I checked...
Deer population in New Brunswick about 4-5 per square mile.
Moose population about 1 per square mile.
Black Bear population about 1 per 2 square miles.
Eastern Coyote population: difficult to say.

Wolves and Caribou disappeared from the province over 100 years ago.
Eastern Coyotes have only shown up since 1970, and have increased dramatically.
http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/conserva/coyotes.asp

[JAK]

Very interesting article ancestory of Eastern Coyote, and coyotes and wolves in general:
http://wildlifetech.com/pages/necoyote.htm

Of course they can all interbreed, and dogs also, so they are all in a sense more like sub-species of the same species than separate species, and they are all a very plastic and adaptable species, as evident by all the various shapes and forms and behaviours of our domestic dog breeds, and mix-breeds.

[johnnybgood]

Revisiting a horrible event from one year ago this past week after reading a recent article regarding eastern coyotes .
It seems the coyotes are becoming more aggressive when encountering humans and is this in correlation with interbreeding with wild dogs. Also it appears their population numbers are rising on the east coast .I wondered if the coyotes that killed this woman in Canada were tested and found to be rabid or simply bold and aggressive ?
I'd like your thoughts on this.

[skinewmexico]

It was my understanding that coyotes were breeding with wolves.

[johnnybgood]

It was my understanding that coyotes were breeding with wolves.

Is there also a growing wolf population on the east coast ?? This might explain the apparent increase in more aggressive coyotes .

[Feral Bill]

In the eastern US, the known population of wild wolves (excepting the small number of red wolves) is zero. The exact nature of the eastern coyotes has been discussed for decades, and I expect DNA work has a definative answer to what exactly we have. All that said, the very large number of coyotes and the miniscule number of incidents suggests there in not a general problem.

[skinewmexico]

In the eastern US, the known population of wild wolves (excepting the small number of red wolves) is zero. The exact nature of the eastern coyotes has been discussed for decades, and I expect DNA work has a definative answer to what exactly we have. All that said, the very large number of coyotes and the miniscule number of incidents suggests there in not a general problem.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32976657...ience-science/

http://www.miwildlife.org/n-wolf%20c...20or%20dog.asp

http://news.discovery.com/animals/co...arnivores.html

[Feral Bill]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32976657...ience-science/

http://www.miwildlife.org/n-wolf%20c...20or%20dog.asp

http://news.discovery.com/animals/co...arnivores.html

I figured someone would have this info. To a lumper, this taxonomy suggests one species altogether. I'll ask my standard poodle what he thinks.

[Newb]

There have been several coyote/coydog attacks and near attacks in GA in the last decade. The ones against armed hunters obviously didn't succeed. That fact that we live in a world of wild critters and even wilder folks, some of whom have near-wild uncontrollable canines, it just makes sense to carry a little "stand-off protection".

When we had a farm near Dahlonega, GA back in the early 80s, any uncollared canine was shot on sight. The coy-dog /feral dog problem was atrocious back then. It was a necessity.

[Pedaling Fool]

There will be a special about this tonight on the National Geographic -- Wild -- channel (not the normal nat. geo channel, the "Wild" version). http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/wild/tv-schedule

Titled: The Invaders, tonight at 10pm EST. Included is the story of the 19 y/o girl attacked in Nova Scotia and a little girl taken from her sandbox in California.

[Pedaling Fool]

They moved in this neighborhood because they want to be "closer to nature" Boneheads don't know what nature is or is capable of... http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/...20105654.shtml

(AP) GLENDALE, Calif. — Residents in a prosperous Southern California neighborhood infested by a pack of coyotes are urging authorities not to trap and kill the animals.

The coyotes took up residence in a home that was gutted by a fire last fall, and have since given birth to a litter of pups. Homeowners say the canines have been showing up almost daily to lounge in their yards and refuse to be scared away.

The animals have presented a dilemma to residents and authorities.

Wildlife officials are considering trapping and killing the coyotes. Homeowners in Glendale are asking city and Los Angeles County officials to wait until the burned-out residence is demolished next week in the hope that the animals will simply move.

Residents in this upscale neighborhood where TV host Mario Lopez lives say they moved here to be closer to nature and don't want to see the animals harmed.

"It's kind of taking the wrong turn here," said Cathy Malloy, who lives next door to the coyote den. "There are about 40 people up here that would trip those traps anyway."

Ken Pellman, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures, said his agency has been looking into setting traps but that it would be a last resort if the coyotes don't leave and become aggressive.

"It is just one of the possibilities considered when there are concerns about coyotes," said Pellman, who has received a half dozen calls from residents concerned about the coyotes being euthanized. "It does not appear to be necessary at this time to trap the coyotes."

Coyote sightings are not unusual in Los Angeles and residents in neighborhoods close to open space are particularly accustomed to dealing with wildlife.

Rita Cohen lives near the burned-out home and said two weeks ago one of the coyotes tore up her spa cover.

"It's a pain but I don't want them euthanized," she said. "I don't think it'll do any good anyway because they're all over."

Asked if she thinks they will move on once the house is torn down, Cohen said: "They will go — probably back to my yard."

[Pedaling Fool]

Another kid attacked by a coyote in LA. http://ktla.com/2015/05/22/3-year-ol...n-irvine-park/

[Walkintom]

Predators in general are easy to startle. It's a survival trait; reduces risk of serious injury or death in an instance where the predator is not prepared to attack prey.

When I was a young child I was nearly taken by a pack of wild dogs. The pack skedaddled when my mom fired a gun; it entirely disrupted the situation from their standpoint. If someone had been close enough to react quickly enough and had done so the young lady may have survived.

I've seen coyotes run down deer and it's about taking the prey in circumstances that the coyotes create and largely control. It's what they do in order to continue eating and the ones that do it well enough get to eat better.

The one behavior I'm always on the watch for from any predator is following. If an animal is following you there is a reason why. If that animal is a predator then it's likely working out a way to make you into a meal.

I've never heard of an adult human being attacked by coyotes but it's within the range of credibility. If I saw one following me I wouldn't dismiss it as unimportant. Especially in light of this instance.

[Feral Bill]

There are very large numbers (many thousands) of coyotes living in close proximity to millions of people. Attacks are exceedingly rare. I'm not wasting time worrying.

[Fredt4]

Firearms can be effective against bear attacks, however studies show they're no more effective thank non-Firearm techniques. Either way, authorities prefer that they're the only ones with firearms, possibly because of all the Yahoos and their behavior previously encountered. I personally think that the incidents are sufficiently rare that I'm not worried about bears, coyotes, Yahoos or LEOs.

[Majortrauma]

It's almost certain that these were not pure coyoyes (canis latrans) but are the coyote-wolf hybrid expanding rapidly in Eastern North America.