YOUNG FOLK SINGER KILLED BY COYOTES WHILE HIKING!

Up-and-coming folk musician Taylor Mitchell, 19, died Wednesday from injuries she suffered during a coyote attack while hiking alone in a national park in eastern Canada.
Mitchell, a singer-songwriter, was touring the Eastern Coast to promote her new album when the horrible incident occurred, according to The Associated Press.

The young musician was hiking solo on a trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia on Tuesday, when two coyotes confronted her and attacked.

She was evacuated by airlift to a Halifax hospital in critical condition. According to authorities, Mitchell died from her injuries Wednesday morning.

Wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft told The Associated Press that coyotes, also known as prairie wolves, rarely attack humans because they are naturally shy animals.

Bancroft, who is also a retired biologist with Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources, told the news source it was possible the coyotes mistook Mitchell for a deer or some other prey.

“It's very unusual and is not likely to be repeated,” Bancroft told The Associated Press. “We shouldn't assume that coyotes are suddenly going to become the big bad wolf.”

Brigdit Leger, spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, told the news source that emergency dispatchers were called to the scene Tuesday morning after hikers along the trail heard Mitchell scream out for help.

When police arrived at the scene, they shot one of the attacking animals, wounding it, but both coyotes managed to get away.

Paul Maynard of Emergency Health Services told The Associated Press that Micthell was in critical condition when paramedics arrived, and that her body was covered in bite wounds.

“She was losing a considerable amount of blood from the wounds,” he said.

Officials blocked the entrance to the trail following the attack and searched for the hostile coyotes.

“There's been some reports of aggressive animals, so it's not unknown,” Helene Robichaud, the park's superintendent, told The Associated Press. “But we certainly never have had anything so dramatic and tragic.”

Micthell’s debut album, “For Your Consideration,” was released in the spring; she was also nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in the Young Performer of the Year category.

“Words can't begin to express the sadness and tragedy of losing such a sweet, compassionate, vibrant and phenomenally talented young woman,” Lisa Weitz, Mitchell’s manager, said in an e-mail to the news source. “She just turned 19 two months ago, and was so excited about the future.”