WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 050109

We lead off wildlife news today with a couple of stories from Orange County, California: an update on the Coyote Mapping Project is provided in the first item; and a cougar that came to an Orange County zoo as a cub has been euthanized due to degenerative arthritis after a long life. And speaking of cougars, with a population of bighorn sheep hanging in the balance, the debate continues in Arizona as to whether the cougar population should be reduced by hunting. New York's Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking input from hunters, conservationists, animal-rights folks - basically every interested party - in regards to deer hunting in that state. Congress is considering throwing some serious money at the tick-borne Lyme disease problem, as an article from New York State details; but South Dakota wildlife officials have a mystery on their hands in regards to a mule deer die-off. Ohio is having a bumper crop of black bear sightings throughout the state, perhaps a good sign for this endangered species; and the third bear sighted in recent days in Santa Clarita, California, was apparently killed by a passing vehicle on I-5. Wyoming wildlife officials moved a grizzly that had killed some livestock into a bear preserve elsewhere in the state; while Another polar bear has been spotted in Newfoundland, this time near Anchor Point; and residents of Craven County, North Carolina, had an ursine visitor, as well. Some advice is provided to residents of International Falls, Minnesota, about dealing with a skunk-sprayed pet. Good deeds do sometimes get rewarded, as the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary, which did yeoman work with wildlife burned in Australia's Black Saturday bushfires, found out; and the delights (and drudgery) of caring for abandoned wildlife babies is recounted by the Executive Director of the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Ontario, Canada. Tennessee wildlife authorities are still seeking information about who shot an immature bald eagle. A Minnesota business has a room with a view of a whole litter of urban coyote pups; while researchers are studying coyotes on Pennsylvania's Presque Isle. The Oregon Cattlemen's Association is seeking depredation permits against wolves attacking their livestock. And finally, a twofer on some really old wildlife: the fossilized remains of a Scottish brown bear believed to be at least 11,000 years old have been unearthed; followed by an even older dinosaur discovery from National Geographic that could crack open possibilities of an actual Jurassic Park!

You’d think a coyote got me, or something

Simba, O.C. zoo’s male mountain lion, euthanized

Let's not rush to kill cougars

How many deer do you want?

Editorial: Lyme disease still big threat

Badlands officials investigating deer die off

Bear Sightings Up in Ohio

Dead bear ties up traffic

Game department moves grizzly bear

Polar bear sighting near Anchor Point

Bear seen in residential neighborhood

When disaster strikes — go to the cupboard

$60,000 for sanctuary

Spring means baby boom at the sanctuary

Reward offered in shooting of bald eagle

Coyote pups play and sleep a few yards from I-35W

Coyotes studied at Presque Isle

Ranchers seek freedom in handling wolves

Ancient bones those of brown bear

Oldest Dinosaur Protein Found -- Blood Vessels, More