At just 19 years old, Taylor Mitchell became the first adult ever to tragically lose her life in a fatal coyote attack while hiking on a popular trail in Canada, leaving experts puzzled over the circumstances of the incident.
Aspiring to be a professional folk singer, Taylor had released her debut album, For Your Consideration, which sadly turned out to be her final musical creation. Following a summer filled with performances, she set off on a modest tour of Eastern Canada, equipped with her newly acquired car and driving licence.
However, unbeknownst to the young singer and her family, she would not return from this journey. Eager for an adventure, Taylor arrived at the Skyline Trail, the most frequented walk in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, attracting up to 25,000 visitors annually.
Despite being appropriately dressed and carrying no food, Taylor was one of the unfortunate few to encounter danger on the trail as she was attacked by a pack of wild coyotes in broad daylight. She was discovered on the Nova Scotia trail shortly after the attack, but it was tragically too late.
Four fellow hikers stumbled upon the critically injured Mitchell during the attack and did their utmost to fend off the coyotes. Taylor was seen both before and after the attack, yet there were no witnesses to the actual mauling, reports the Mirror.
After hearing distant screams, a group of hikers stumbled upon the horrifying scene involving Taylor. Moments after hearing her desperate cries, they found her personal belongings scattered along the access road.
Among the items were keys and a small knife, followed by torn and bloodied clothing, as well as significant amounts of blood on the ground, all belonging to the 19 year old.
Shortly after, at 3:25pm, the group discovered Taylor’s body with a coyote looming over her. Remarkably, she was still conscious and able to communicate with her rescuers while awaiting medical assistance.
Paramedics swiftly transported her to the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre in Chéticamp, where she was listed in critical condition before being airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre. Tragically, despite the tireless efforts of the medical teams, Taylor succumbed to her injuries due to severe blood loss later that evening, on October 27, 2009.
Her shocking death left experts puzzled as to what provoked the coyotes to attack, given there had been no previous reports or issues with the animals in the park.
In an attempt to understand the horrific event, tests were conducted revealing that the coyotes were actually eastern coyotes carrying a wolf gene.
However, the extent to which this factored into Taylor Mitchell’s tragic demise remains uncertain.
A tribute was created to celebrate and commemorate Taylor’s life, established by her devoted sister Emily Mitchell. The memorial reads: “Wise beyond her years and an environmentalist at a very early age, Taylor understood the unbreakable connection between animal and human life and was involved with various causes for habitat conservation.
“Taylor, whose musical star was on the rise, had a break during her first Maritimes tour and was doing what she loved-spending time in nature’s fold-when the attack occurred.”
Since that tragic day in 2009, no other adult human has suffered a deadly coyote attack.