WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 081409

Hunters in Montana have been asked to provide information on any gray wolf encounters to wildlife officials, our first Wildlife News Of The Day entry today. Residents of Toronto, Canada, are seeing a population boom in local coyotes, leading to increased claims of predation; while pet owners in Mill Valley, California, are concerned about coyote sightings in the area. In a follow-up to one of yesterday's articles, some of a Virginia community's members are protesting a bounty on coyotes; but residents of a Pennsylvania community fault residential development as the cause of increased coyote sightings in their area. A Colorado hound was lucky to be alive after an attack by a pack of coyotes. A hungry bear paid a visit to a Virginia watermelon patch; and Ontario, Canada, has reported an increase in the number of bear sightings this year. An Op-Ed from a California resident comments on cougar attacks and the need to review current policy on these cats; followed by musings of a mountain biker from Washington state on precautions to take before venturing into the wilderness around Leavenworth, where a cougar has been spotted. A cougar was seen near Alberni, British Columbia, by some Canadian bike riders; and a cougar is suspected in an attack in Highland, California. The thorny issue of urban deer is reflected in a story about Helena, Montana, sanctioning a deer hunt; while a 60-year-old man died in a motorcycle collision with a deer in Michigan. An Illinois man has pleaded guilty to shooting a protected bald eagle in January. The mail can finally go through in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, as Canadian mail carriers are no longer harassed by nesting hawks; but pet owners in Atlanta, Georgia, have a mystery on their hands: did a hawk make off with a Shih Tzu? And finally, a New Zealand motorist was unable to convince a traffic court about the cause of his reckless driving: a swooping hawk!

Montana hunters asked to report signs of Wolves

Coyote population explodes near Toronto

Increase in coyote activity has residents worried

Augusta County Coyote Bounty Opposition

Coyote sightings on the rise around Marjol battery site

Vet hospital nurses dog back to health after coyote attack

Bear feasts on watermelons

Sault second in number of bear reports

Tight Lines: The truth about lion attacks

Cougar incidents in Leavenworth make wilderness unsafe for people

Sisters spot cougar in Alberni

Suspected mountain lion attack

FWP approves killing 150 more deer in Helena

Harrison man dies in deer-motorcycle collision

Calhoun County man pleads guilty to shooting bald eagle

Mail delivery resumes in Moose Jaw after hawks move on

Did hawk steal Shih Tzu?

Hawk claim fails to convince court