WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051909

With a decline of nearly a third of honeybee colonies across the US, experts are beginning to see some hopeful signs; but experts on komodo dragons are wrangling over how deadly its bite really is. A number of road kill articles in wildlife news today: deer-automobile collisions in the US are adding up to over $1.5 billion a year, according to a story from Nebraska; Canadian authorities in New Brunswick are trying to reduce collisions with deer by reducing feeding of deer by humans; while the Pennsylvania Game Commission is trying to make drivers more vigilant; but the next article will give readers a whole new perspective on the value of road kill to wildlife biologists; and not all road kill occurs on roads, as a small plane struck a deer while landing in Oregon. What to do about an exploding deer population (and attendant foliage damage) is the topic of discussion in Grand Haven, Michigan. A letter to the editor of a Santa Clarita, California, newspaper defends cougars; followed by some advice about dealing with raccoons using a home's deck for their bathroom. Mockingbirds have been shown to be more intelligent than previously thought, giving the lie to the term 'birdbrain'! Although the California Condor population is recovering, lead poisoning is still a problem among the carrion feeders; and going green could have its downside, as a golden eagle was killed by a wind turbine in Washington state. Bear experts are postulating that a bear attack in Alberta, Canada, occurred because the bear saw a teenager as food; while an Arkansas university had an unwanted visitor to the campus (it probably really needed to be at UCLA!) Custody battles can be such a messy thing: the zoo that provided the father of a valuable polar bear cub wants the cub from the zoo where the mother resides; but it's not every polar bear that gets a new home, courtesy of Britain's Royal Marines! A Vermont community had a bear stop by for a visit; but an elusive bruin materialized again on Monday in a Seattle park. The 10th Western Black Bear Workshop will be held in Reno this year, bringing together black bear experts from all across the western US. A commentator from Illinois reflects on urban coyotes; followed by a collection of wildlife advice. Another potential means for relieving dogs of skunk scent is offered up by an article from Denver, Colorado. A trio of rabies stories are up next: a rabid raccoon accosted two dogs in Georgia; and two encounters occurred in North Carolina. And finally, a wolf pack is descending on a Virginia town, but residents don't seem to be alarmed.

Study finds decline of honeybee colonies slowing

Chemicals in Dragon’s Glands Stir Venom Debate

Two Panhandle Car-Deer Collisions Cause $19K in Damage

Deer-feeding bans hard to enforce, could reduce vehicle accidents: biologist

Pennsylvania Game Commission Advises Motorists to Watch For Deer

Dead deer give up secrets about species

Landing plane hits deer, later skids off Redmond runway

Deer still hot topic in Grand Haven

Mountain lion being stereotyped

Fixit: Raccoons have made their deck a latrine

Study: Mockingbirds recognize individual humans

Calif. condor deaths shows lead still a problem

Golden eagle killed by Wash. wind turbines

Predatory bear saw northern Albertan teenager as food, expert says

Bear Captured On Henderson State Campus

German zoos battle over Knut

Soldiers build polar bear's home

Brattleboro, Vt., gets springtime visit from bear

Black bear spotted in Shoreline

Western bear experts meet in Reno

Coyotes now a part of urban life

Gary Bogue: Skunks: Another reason they smell bad at night

Use bubbles for skunk treatment

Raccoon Tests Positive After Attacking Two Dogs

Four treated in Pasquotank for rabies exposure

Rabies outbreak concerning for many

Wolves back in Wolf Hills