WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 103009

First up in wildlife news today, Sam Gowen of the Orange County Register, sent along a link to an article with photos of a bobcat on the prowl in the backyard of a Southern California residence with the following comments:

Hi, Michael .. Not sure if photos make your roster of wildlife news, but a reader sent us photographs of a bobcat that recently bolted into their yard after a rabbit... Nobody, not even the rabbit, was harmed :-)

Idaho Fish and Game officials have confirmed that a cougar killed two baby alpacas. A group of nine African elephants who had been grossly mistreated by a Safari club in Zimbabwe will be returned to the wilds following rehabilitation. Wildlife officials in Louisiana are cautioning residents not to feed the deer in the area; but one of the beneficial side effects of wildfires in Southern California appears to be larger deer, as the next article shows. Motorists in Texas received a reminder of the hazard of deer in the road as hunting season begins; and an article from Indiana reminds motorists of the danger of deer jumping into the road this time of year. A polar bear that was moved from a Scottish zoo into an animal preserve is doing quite well, contrary to fears of agoraphobia; while the next article discusses what you get if you cross a grizzly with a polar bear. Stetson University, in Florida, had an ursine visitor yesterday who drew quite a crowd. A hedgehog who had gotten drunk on fermented apples in the UK was handed over to a wildlife rehabilitator to "dry out"! Following the fatal coyote attack on a Canadian singer, wildlife officials have managed to kill one of the coyotes, and continue tracking the other; followed by a heartfelt letter from the victim's mother about the incident. The Christian Science Monitor discusses the danger coyotes pose; but despite the rarity of the fatal attack, a story out of another part of Nova Scotia underscores the fact that coyotes are becoming less fearful of people in that area; followed by a summary of coyote sightings in one community in British Columbia. Wildlife and pet columnist Gary Bogue discusses rats, squirrels, and a few of our feathered friends in his column. And finally, a red-tailed hawk came in for a pounding in Illinois where a Kingbird hopped on its back and started pecking away!

Bobcat hunts elusive rabbit in Laguna Niguel yard

Mountain lion kills 2 alpacas

Nine maltreated Zimbabwe elephants to be freed

W&F: Don't feed the deer

Wildfires responsible for bigger deer?

TxDOT warns of roadway dangers created by deer

Fall back — and watch for deer in South Bend area

Agoraphobic bear fears 'allayed'

Polar bear plus grizzly equals?

Bear draws crowd on Stetson campus

Tipsy the hedgehog was as drunk as a skunk

Conservation officers hunt for second coyote in N.S.

Letter from coyote victim's mother

Fatal coyote attack: How dangerous are coyotes?

Cole Harbour man spooked by encounter with aggressive coyote

14 coyote sightings in Sarnia this year

Gary Bogue: Snails: Who's been eating escargot in my backyard?

Kingbird rides on back of hawk to defend young