WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 061109

A detailed look at cougars in the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California is provided in our first wildlife article today. A zoo in Portland, Oregon, has a new member - an orphaned cougar cub; but a couple of bobcats were skulking around a school near Carmel, California. A news item on possums reveals just how valuable they are in controlling real pests; while a woman in Ontario, Canada, is working with the local Humane Society and wildlife officials to care for a pair of baby raccoons. A Massachusetts woman had a frightening encounter with a pack of coyotes while walking through the woods; and coyotes are showing up in increasing numbers in one New York state neighborhood as well. Pensacola, Florida, pet owners are being advised that urban coyotes are on the prowl; while fox sightings and other wildlife encounters in Massachusetts are discussed in the next item. The debate over foxes in the area is heating up in a North Carolina community; but a Florida man will have to undergo treatment after a fox who scratched him was found to be rabid. Another Texas county is reporting rabid wildlife. Wyoming Game and Fish officials are trying to confirm the sighting of a grizzly bear in an area not usually frequented by them. A bear who decided to visit Post Falls, Idaho, was tranquilized and repatriated in the wild. In a followup to an article yesterday, an Ontario, Canada, woman needed 72 staples to close gashes on her leg when a bear mauled her in her driveway yesterday. Michigan has come up with a plan for dealing with their 19,000 black bears; and some pointers on visiting a Wyoming recreation area frequented by wildlife is offered. A motorcyclist went to the hospital after colliding with a deer in Washington state; but a snowmobiler who viciously attacked wildlife has managed to avoid felony animal cruelty charges in Wisconsin. Akron, Ohio, will be employing a lottery to determine who will be allowed to do some archery hunting of deer to reduce the population. Two deer that headed into downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, had to be euthanized due to fears of deer-auto collisions. And finally, we've all heard about people, pets, and livestock being evacuated from a fire zone, but fish??

Map: Where the Mountain Lions Live in the Santa Monica Mountains

Zoo adopts orphaned baby cougar

Mystery cats prowl near Carmel school

Misunderstood marsupial is nature's exterminator

Resident rallies for raccoons

Pack of coyotes chase woman in Groveland

Coyotes Descend On JC Neighborhood

Coyotes preying on cats

The wild life: As animal sightings grow, know when to report issues

Guilford Safe Haven For Foxes

Rabid Fox Scratches Man In Jensen Beach

Rabid skunks found in Fort Bend County

Grizzly bear reported by Middle Piney Creek

Bear tranquilized in Post Falls

Bear leaves woman scarred

Michigan adopts bear management plan

Be cautious while among bears, lions and other wildlife at Bighorn Canyon NRA

Motorcyclist being treated after striking deer and pickup

Deer cruelty charges dismissed

Bow And Arrow Hunting To Be Allowed For Deer Control

2 Deer Wander Into Downtown Minneapolis

Biologists help rare fish flee New Mexico fire