WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051809

Our first story in Wildlife News Of The Day is about the bumper crop of desert bald eagles Arizona is enjoying this year; followed by a story that adds urban hawks to the list of urban wildlife, as this next story out of Texas demonstrates. Officials are considering culling excess deer on the grounds of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; but Monmouth County, New Jersey, is delaying a hearing on their plans for deer management in the area. Road encounters between wildlife and motorists were a major item in the news today, leading off with the story of a Kansas motorist who collided with a deer in the road; followed by a story about motorists in Florida who had to have quick reflexes to avoid collisions with deer; a new car that was wrecked when the driver tried to avoid a deer in the road in Vermont; a question about whether increased deer kills by hunting has resulted in fewer road kills in one part of Connecticut; and the tale of a motorist in New York state who had a deadly encounter with a black bear. A 150-lb black bear that came to a Pennsylvania town was relocated; and a teenager was mauled by a bear at a remote campground in Alberta, Canada. More details about last week's fatal shooting of an aggressive bear in North Dakota are provided by the next item; followed by a story about a bear in the city, as an ursine visitor comes to Seattle, Washington. Citing the lack of information since 1988, agriculture officials are asking California wildlife officials for an updated cougar count; but reports of a cougar attack on a Frazier Park, California, man were greatly distorted, as authorities soon found out. Wisconsin wildlife officials are on the lookout for a cougar; and something feline is prowling around a North Carolina community, as more reports of big cat tracks are made. A reporter in Maryland discusses the local coyote population and the need for public education; but with trappers in Solano County, California, becoming an endangered species due to budget cuts, residents will have to find their own way to deal with coyotes in the area. With increased sightings of coyotes in New England, one community in Maine will be hosting a public information meeting on the topic. Examination of the federal program for wolf predation is made in the next item. Dealing with urban wildlife in New York City is discussed in a blog entry; while a raccoon who got mixed up with power equipment in a Washington state community paid the ultimate price for its curiosity (along with knocking out power for about an hour). But not all wildlife has suffered at the hands of people: Washington, DC, firefighters came to the rescue of a family of ducks after some ducklings were swept into a storm drain.

Empty nests for local eagles

Neighborhood hawks are lawn feeders

The Watchdog: D'oh! A deer...

Monmouth board pushes back hearing on new deer management plan

One injured in crash with deer

Palm Bay motorcyclist avoids jumping deer

Deer makes short work of new Chevrolet

Deer-hunt kills increase, deer-car crashes decrease: Is change related?

Motorist strikes, kills rarely seen black bear

Bear tranquilized in western Pa. neighborhood

Bear mauls boy, 15, camping east of Swan Hills, Alta.

Bear tried to gain entry to Fairmount trailer home

Bear wanders through Seattle neighborhood

SBC ag official to request cougar count

Firefighters: Man lied about being attacked by mountain lion

Cougar Sighting Reported Near Chippewa Falls

Big-cat accounts continue

Coyotes in Columbia

Solano residents on their own battling coyotes

Vistein sings praises of coyotes

Federal program allows wolves that prey on livestock to be trapped and killed

Skunk hunting again today

Blame it on a raccoon

Firefighters rescue baby ducks