Security officer attacked by coyote at Utah mine www.privateofficer.com

To contact us Click HERE

South Jordan Utah Oct11 2012 Utah wildlife officials are calling a coyote attack on a femalesecurity guard at Kennecott Utah Copper Monday night “rare” and “strange.”
At 9:45 p.m. Monday, a contracted security officer staffingthe Kennecott entrance at 10200 South and 8400 West was in a booth when acoyote entered through the door and lunged at the woman.
“As the animal was engaging her, she put up her arm todefend herself, and she did get several bites on her forearm,” said Kennecottspokesperson Kyle Bennett. “She was eventually able to get the animal out ofthe security station, and she called for backup.”
Bennett said the woman was taken to Jordan Valley Medical Centerwhere she was treated with “a few stitches” and released.
A Unified police officer responded to the scene and shot thecoyote. The head of the canine was sent to the Unified State Laboratoriesmanaged by the Utah Department of Health early Tuesday for a rabies test.Authorities said results could come as early as Wednesday.
The rest of the coyote was sent to the Utah VeterinaryDiagnostic Laboratory for a necropsy.“It looked healthy. We may know better after the rabies testand the necropsy what may have led to the attack,” said John Shivik, mammalprogram coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). “Thiswas an isolated, rare, strange and uncommon thing to happen. We need to figureout what was going on.”
Leslie McFarlane, wildlife-disease coordinator for the DWR,said at least four bats from across Utahhave tested positive for rabies this year, but it is uncommon for other mammalsto carry the disease.
“In Utah,the only animals we see and have test positive for rabies are bats,” she said.“Several years ago, we did have a fox bite a little boy and that was positive,but we really don’t see it in other mammals too often.”
Bennett said there have been no reports of coyote problemsat that entrance or anywhere else on the approximately 100,000 acres Kennecottowns in the Oquirrh Mountains.
“We see wildlife frequently, but it is very unusual to havepersonal contact with an animal. This is the first attack I am aware of,”Bennett said. “In the course of her job as she was entering the station thecoyote came in and surprised her.”