Canadian folk-singer killed by two coyotes

[JanetGeorge]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8331106.stm

Apparently the coyotes (which are normally afraid of humans and not particularly aggressive) have cross-bred with wolves in Canada and are rather bigger than their American cousins.

The city of Toronto had to issue a public health warning a few years ago because the resident coyotes had taken to attacking joggers in the downtown parks. A couple of weeks ago there was another person attacked in an apple orchard near Ottawa Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources Biologists have said publicly that they need to be hunted as a species - not so much to try and control their almost uncontrollable growth but rather to keep them respectful and wary of humans.

This of course is one of the BEST arguments for hunting foxes with hounds. Foxes can't differentiate between hunting hounds and pet dogs - and foxes who have regular encounters with hunting hounds will tend to steer clear of anywhere they smell dogs - especially around farmyards, lambing fields etc. Which prevents damage (and actually saves foxes from the farmers' shotguns!)

 

[Orangehorse]

Crickey, scarey. I visited my sister in the USA and she lives next to some woods, where she exercises her dogs and horses. We were stalked by a coyote and he was about as big as an alsation dog. The first time her dog (who is HUGE) chased after this coyote,and then we heard a lot of crying from the dog and he came back, rather chasened!. The coyote then proceeded to follow us until we left the wood. We could hear him moving through the undergrowth, although we couldn't see him.

We guessed his mate must have a litter of pups. We didn't feel exactly frightened as he didn't come too close, but we were still relieved when we looked round and he WASN'T there.

We went out for a ride a day or two later, much deeper into the wood, and you guess, coyote was there again. My horse didn't like this AT ALL. Coyote got quite close, not quite enough to feel really threatening, but I was glad it was no nearer. Again, he just followed until we left the wood.

We saw him maybe 4 or 5 times, then I took my camera and never saw him again. I saw some Timber Wolves in a zoo and they are truely huge, really, really frightening.