Teenage musician dies after being mauled by coyotes as she hiked alone in Canadian park

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 10:54 PM on 29th October 2009

A promising young musician died after she was savaged by two coyotes while out walking.

Taylor Mitchell, 19, was hiking by herself in a national park in Canada when the animals attacked.

Paramedics found her bleeding heavily with bite wounds over her entire body after other walkers alerted them when they heard the singer-songwriter's screams for help.

Tragic: Taylor Mitchell was found bleeding heavily after walkers heard screams

She was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition but doctors were unable to save her.

Miss Mitchell, from Toronto, was an up-and-coming folk and country musician who was nominated for a 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award in the Young Performer of the Year category.

She was out on a trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia, in the east of the country, when the attack occurred on Tuesday.

Normally shy: The coyotes may have mistaken the singer for a deer

Paul Maynard, of Emergency Health Services, said: 'She was losing a considerable amount of blood from the wounds.'

Police were quickly on the scene and managed to shoot one of the coyotes, apparently wounding it. But both animals were able to escape.

Coyotes, which also are known as prairie wolves, are found throughout North and Central America.

Scene of the attack: Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia

Wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft said attacks are extremely rare because the animals are usually very shy.

The retired biologist from Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources said it was possible the animals mistook Miss Mitchell for a deer or other prey.

'It's very unusual and is not likely to be repeated,' he said.

'We shouldn't assume that coyotes are suddenly going to become the big bad wolf.'

An official from Parks Canada said they had blocked the entrance to the trail where Miss Mitchell was attacked and were still trying to track down the animals and determine what prompted such an unusual attack.

'There's been some reports of aggressive animals, so it's not unknown,' said Helene Robichaud, the park's superintendent

'But we certainly never have had anything so dramatic and tragic.'

Miss Mitchell was in Nova Scotia as part of a tour to promote her new album on the east coast.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman Brigdit Leger confirmed that emergency police dispatchers were called after reports of screams.

Miss Mitchell died in hospital in Halifax yesterday morning.

In a statement, her manager Lisa Weitz said: 'Words can't begin to express the sadness and tragedy of losing such a sweet, compassionate, vibrant, and phenomenally talented young woman.

'She just turned 19 two months ago and was so excited about the future.'

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