WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 100709

In our first two wildlife articles today, Pete Thomas of the LA Times points out how easy it's been for hunters to bag wolves in Montana; while a pair of grizzly bear hunters in Alaska who shot one right in front of wildlife tourists may find themselves in some legal trouble, in addition to being rapped for poor hunting ethics. Homeowners in Central Florida complain that bears are travelling by too near to their homes; but wildlife officials are blaming residents who leave their garbage accessible to wildlife for a couple of encounters that have made the news lately. Polar bears are one step closer to having a place of their own; which could be a good thing, considering the increase in sightings of these animals by oil field workers in Alaska. A polar bear who has lived at a zoo in Edinburgh, Scotland, for 25 years will be moved to a wildlife park. A school was locked down in Arlington, Washington, yesterday due to a bear on campus; and a raccoon that quarreled with a pair of dogs in Pennsylvania turned out to be rabid. Residents of Lakeport, California, are being warned of increased cougar activity in their area. Some reasons for eastern North Carolina's increasing coyote population are given in the next article; followed by an appeal to stop feeding coyotes around Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California, which is intended to reduce collisions between humans and the canines. An Op-Ed piece from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, relates the sad tale of a coyote who was shot and mutilated. Seeking to lessen the criticism from ranchers about reintroducing Mexican wolves into the Arizona/New Mexico area, federal agencies have set up a fund to reimburse them for livestock lost to wolf incursions. An advice columnist from central California provides tips on avoiding deer-auto collisions; while an Ohio man faces some serious charges for transporting deer to South Carolina in 2005. A letter to the editor of a Kansas City, Kansas, newspaper derides critics of a deer cull in a Kansas Park which has been generating a great deal of controversy for several months now. Wildlife officials in Colorado were called in to deal with a skunk whose head had become caught in a jar; while an article from Illinois underscores the benefits to one's waistline of skunk incursions! The humorous misadventures of a Seattle resident dealing with an obstinate possum is up next; followed by a profile of the Turtle Ridge Wildlife Center, a rehabilitation center in Oregon. And finally, a wild animal trapper from California who was recently featured on the cable program "Dirty Jobs" discusses his exploits in ridding households of nuisance wildlife.

Montana's wolves surprisingly vulnerable during inaugural hunt

Grizzly bear killed by hunters in front of 'disgusted' wildlife watchers in Alaska

Bears in DeBary: Wild Wander Dangerously Close To Homes

Officials suggest ways to avoid nuisance wildlife problems

Interior Sends Polar Bear Habitat Designation to White House

Alaska oil explorers encountering more polar bears

Polar bear preparing to move home

Bear in Arlington raises alarm at school

Rottweiler found in Upper Darby, under quarantine

Mountain lion problem isn't going away

Coyote population steadily rising in N.C.

Please, Just Stop Feeding the Coyotes

Even a coyote deserves proper burial

Fund will help ranchers deal with Mexican wolves

Roadshow: Drivers beware: It's deer-mating season

Man on trial in deer-trafficking case

Deer cull in park

Skunk gets head stuck in jar

Skunk-filled nights

Mr. Possum pays a visit

Injured, orphaned animals keep center busy

Bats in your belfry? Call Jeremy Bailey