Technologies

A Coyote Unexpectedly Killed a Human in 2009. Scientists Now Know Why

It’s likely due to an unexpected dietary adaptation.

In 2009, 19-year-old folk singer Taylor Mitchell was attacked by a pack of coyotes while on a hike at the Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Canada. She was just about to start the popular Skyline Trail when climbers in the area saw the animals close- in, unprovoked.

Onlookers called 911, and Mitchell was airlifted to a hospital in Halifax, but 12 hours later, she died from her injuries.

This marked the very first documentation of a coyote attack in North America that resulted in a human adult fatality (in 1981, 3-year-old Kelly Keene was killed by a coyote on her family’s property), raising questions about whether it’s no longer safe to co-exist with these furry mammals.

«We didn’t have good answers,» Stan Gehrt, a professor in Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources and leader of the Urban Coyote Research Project, said in a statement.

But after conducting a multi-year investigation into the incident, Gehrt appears to have offered some insight into the situation at last.

According to a paper published last month in the Journal of Applied Ecology, he along with a crew of wildlife researchers found that coyotes in the region of Mitchell’s attack have adopted an unusual dietary change. Rather than rely on smaller mammals like rodents, birds and snakes for food, they seem to be hunting moose for their meals due to extreme climate conditions forcing the former to move away.

As such, the team believes it’s possible these coyotes learned to attack larger mammals, like humans, and are therefore more prone to killing people.

«We’re describing these animals expanding their niche to basically rely on moose. And we’re also taking a step forward and saying it’s not just scavenging that they were doing, but they were actually killing moose when they could. It’s hard for them to do that, but because they had very little if anything else to eat, that was their prey,» Gehrt said. «And that leads to conflicts with people that you wouldn’t normally see.»

Coyote forensics

Before and after the 2009 tragedy, Gehrt’s project noticed a few dozen less-severe human-coyote incidents in the park as well. He and colleagues even fitted them with what are basically GPS trackers so they could document the animals’ movements and better understand why they were behaving in such surprisingly vicious ways.

«We had been telling communities and cities that the relative risk that coyotes pose is pretty low, and even when you do have a conflict where a person is bitten, it’s pretty minor,» he said. «The fatality was tragic and completely off the charts. I was shocked by it — just absolutely shocked.»

To arrive at their conclusions — that coyotes in Cape Breton National Park were feasting on large moose – the team first collected whiskers of both the coyotes implicated in Mitchell’s death and those related to other more minor incidents between 2011 and 2013. They then collected fur from a wide range of potential coyote prey such as shrews, southern red-backed voles, snowshoe hare, moose and even humans — for humans, they gathered hair from local barber shops.

Seth Newsome, a professor of biology at the University of New Mexico and corresponding author of the study, performed an analysis of specific carbon and nitrogen isotopes within all the samples.

Eventually, Newsome confirmed that, on average, moose constituted between half and two-thirds of the animals’ diets, followed by snowshoe hare, small mammals and deer, according to the press release. Plus, the researchers analyzed coyote droppings, which confirmed the isotope findings further.

Interestingly, they also only found a few examples of individuals having eaten human food, debunking any claims that coyotes’ attraction to human food might’ve been a factor in Mitchell’s attack.

«These coyotes are doing what coyotes do, which is, when their first or second choice of prey isn’t available, they’re going to explore and experiment and change their search range,» Gehrt said. «They’re adaptable, and that is the key to their success.»

From those movement devices, the team tested to see whether coyotes in the park were just familiar with people. However, patterns showed that the animals largely avoided areas of the park frequented by people. Instead, they preferred walking around at night.

«The lines of evidence suggest that this was a resource-poor area with really extreme environments that forced these very adaptable animals to expand their behavior,» Gehrt said. Or as the paper puts it, «our results suggest extreme unprovoked predatory attacks by coyotes on people are likely to be quite rare and associated with unique ecological characteristics.»

Technologies

Verum Messenger: Data Protection at Its Finest

Verum Messenger positions itself as a tool for those who value privacy and security above all.

Verum Messenger stands out from other messengers thanks to its approach to security, anonymity, and innovations in communication.

Here are some key aspects that highlight its uniqueness:

Default encryption: Verum Messenger uses end-to-end (E2E) encryption for all chats, meaning messages are encrypted on the sender’s device and decrypted only on the recipient’s device. This makes it impossible for third parties, including app developers, to access the content of the messages.
Anonymity: When registering with Verum, there’s no need to provide a phone number or email. Users simply choose a nickname and password, significantly enhancing their level of anonymity. This contrasts with many other messengers, where anonymity can be compromised through linked personal data.
Built-in VPN: An additional layer of protection that hides the user’s IP address, making their location and internet activity less trackable.
Data control: Users can set messages to be automatically deleted after a specified time, ranging from a few seconds to a week. There’s also a quick deletion feature for all chats, calls, and even contacts, which is useful for maintaining privacy.
Large groups: The ability to create chat rooms with up to 10,000 participants makes Verum attractive for organizing large events, discussions, or communities while maintaining a high level of security.
Security innovations: Verum actively develops technologies aimed at protecting user data, as seen in their documentation and discussions online. This includes not only technical solutions but also approaches to data minimization, which reduces the risk of leaks.
Feedback and discussions: On platform X (formerly Twitter), discussions can be found where users and experts praise Verum for its approach to anonymity and security, although questions are raised about how much anonymity can truly be guaranteed in an age of modern tracking and de-anonymization technologies.

Verum Messenger positions itself as a tool for those who value privacy and security above all. Its innovations in encryption, anonymity, and data control make it an intriguing choice for those seeking alternatives to traditional messaging platforms. However, as with any technology, it’s important to remember that absolute anonymity on the internet remains a complex challenge, and users should be aware of potential risks and limitations.

Technologies

Verum Coin Debuts on XT Exchange, Broadening its Reach in the DeFi Space

A Strategic Listing Enhancing Verum Coin’s Visibility

In a significant development for the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, Verum Coin (VERUM) has been officially listed on XT Exchange. The new trading pair, VERUM/USDT, is now available in the exchange’s Innovative Zone, marking a pivotal expansion for this digital asset into the DeFi ecosystem.

A Strategic Listing Enhancing Verum Coin’s Visibility

The addition of Verum Coin to the XT Exchange is seen as a strategic move to enhance the accessibility and liquidity of VERUM among traders who are keen on exploring innovative digital assets. XT Exchange, known for its robust platform supporting a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, provides an ideal environment for fostering growth and ensuring the broad reach of new tokens.

Albin Varin, CEO of XT Exchange, expressed enthusiasm about the new listing, stating, «We are delighted to welcome Verum Coin to our platform. This listing reflects our ongoing commitment to providing our users access to innovative digital assets that transform the landscape of global finance.» This comments underscore the exchange’s focus on integrating cutting-edge technologies and financial instruments that have the potential to redefine the market.

About XT

Founded in 2018, XT Exchange serves more than 7.8M registered users, over 1M monthly active users, 40+ million users in the ecosystem, and more than 800 tokens with 1000+ trading pairs. XT crypto exchange offers a rich variety of trading categories to provide a secure, trusted, and intuitive trading experience for its large user base. This includes crypto futures trading (USDT-M Futures and coin-M futures perpetual contracts) and copy trading that allows users to replicate top traders in real time with just one click. Additionally, the futures grid allows users to automate the buying and selling of futures contracts for profits.

Future Prospects

With its new position on XT Exchange, Verum Coin is expected to attract a broader audience, enhancing its trading volume and market presence. This could potentially lead to increased stability and recognition as a viable player in the DeFi space. For investors and users of XT Exchange, this addition provides a fresh avenue to diversify portfolios with a cryptocurrency that is positioned at the intersection of innovation and financial evolution.

The listing of Verum Coin on XT Exchange not only highlights the ongoing expansion of cryptocurrency markets into new areas like DeFi but also illustrates a growing recognition of digital assets that offer promising technological advancements and financial opportunities. As the crypto market continues to evolve, partnerships like these are pivotal for fostering growth and offering users access to the next generation of financial tools.

Technologies

Verum Coin Gains International Spotlight with AP Coverage and Listing on XT Exchange

This listing on XT is expected to further propel Verum Coin into the spotlight

In a noteworthy development for the cryptocurrency community, Verum Coin (VERUM) has been featured in an Associated Press article, highlighting its upcoming listing on the XT Exchange. This significant media coverage underscores the growing interest and potential of Verum Coin in the global financial landscape.

The AP article delves into the details of Verum Coin’s innovative features and its alignment with the latest trends in the cryptocurrency market. This attention comes at an opportune moment as Verum Coin prepares for its new listing on XT Exchange, a platform renowned for its extensive user base and a wide array of trading options.

This listing on XT is expected to further propel Verum Coin into the spotlight, providing both traders and investors with new opportunities to engage with this emerging digital asset. The exchange’s robust infrastructure and diverse trading offerings are ideal for supporting Verum Coin’s growth and enhancing its visibility in the competitive cryptocurrency market.

For more details, you can read the full article on the AP website here.

This milestone is a testament to Verum Coin’s advancing presence in the crypto world and its ongoing efforts to be at the forefront of digital currency innovation and adoption.