Coyotes also sometimes hunt in packs and can be a threat to people in the outdoors. Unlike wolves, which have limited distribution in the United States, coyotes are found throughout North America. While coyotes are about half the size of wolves, they can still be dangerous.
FATAL ATTACKS: Two fatal coyote attacks on humans have been recorded. A three-year-old girl was killed in 1981 in Glendale, California. In October of 2009, Taylor Mitchell, 19, was killed by two coyotes at Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia.
TRAIL SIGNS: The tracks of coyotes look like those of a medium-sized dog. Like wolves, coyotes also howl to communicate and their locations can sometimes be determined that way. Follow the same advice given for wolves to avoid attacks from coyotes.
This article was originally published in the SURVIVOR’S EDGE™ Spring 2016 issue. Subscription is available in print and digital editions here.