WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090109

The first wolf that was produced by cloning has died from unknown causes in Seoul, South Korea, our first wildlife article today; while environmental groups have been unable to stop a pending wolf hunt in Idaho (looks like they may have to follow through with their threat to boycott Idaho potatoes!) Officials in Yorba Linda, California, will decide tonight whether coyote trapping, which has snared nine coyotes so far, is worthwhile to continue. Another cougar, this time a male, has been collared in California's Santa Monica Mountains; a large feline was spotted near a Santa Cruz County, California, high school last week; but an emaciated female cougar was euthanized by Washington state wildlife officials because she was too weak to hunt in the wild. Residents of one New York county have been alerted to the presence of rabid bats in the area; and a trio of dogs that mixed it up with a rabid skunk are now under observation in Virginia. A vacant house in a New Jersey neighborhood appears to be the new home of a family of skunks (much to the chagrin of the neighbors!) Deer hunters in New Jersey are being given the option of hunting feral hogs, which are causing grief for wildlife and humans alike; while a Connecticut community is debating the virtues of an urban deer hunt for safety and health reasons. An Ohio community is considering an urban deer hunt, something which has met with opposition from residents in the past; but a Virginia law that prohibits feeding wild deer, in order to limit their population growth, is now in effect in that state. An electronic deer checking program that was instituted in Nebraska will save hunters both time and gas by allowing them to check on the status of deer at check stations online, allowing timely distribution of venison to both hunters and food banks they support. Another bear has been euthanized in Aspen, Colorado, after attacking a woman who was napping on her deck; while officials in Utah are still puzzled over why an apparently healthy bear mauled an elderly man there last week. As Minnesota's bear hunting season opens, hunters are being cautioned not to shoot the bears fitted with radio collars; and, invoking the credo 'a fed bear is a dead bear', the Yellowstone Park Foundation is trying to raise money for bear-proof trash containers in order to save the lives of bruins in that national park. The dangers of feeding raccoons, both for homeowners and for the raccoons themselves, is explored in an article from Florida; while a raccoon that climbed a power pole in British Columbia has one more day to figure out how to get down before utility workers lend a hand. And finally, speaking of raccoons and utilities, a power outage in a Missouri town on Sunday was caused by an inquisitive raccoon.

World's 1st Cloned Wolf Dies of Unknown Cause

With No Order From Judge, Wolf Season Is Set to Begin

Coyote trapping off for now after 9 caught, killed

14th Cougar Collared by Rangers in Santa Monica Mountains

Big "Cat" Sighted at Aptos High — May Be Mountain Lion

Starving cougar killed at Manson

Bat Rabies Confirmed in Franklin County

Skunk Killed By Dogs In Henrico County Had Rabies

Old Bridge residents complain about family of skunks in vacant Laurence Harbor house

Deer hunters can take feral hogs in NJ DM Zone 25

Haydock: For health and safety, help reduce Darien's deer population

Urban deer problem: City hears about herd

Deer-Feeding Now Illegal

Electronic checking for harvested NE deer available this fall

Bear killed by wildlife agents after attack in Aspen

Bear that mauled man was healthy, Utah officials say

Minnesota Fall Bear Season Opens

Yellowstone Park Foundation Launches Campaign to Protect Bears and Save Lives

Killed by kindness

Workers leave raccoon stranded up a pole

Sunday power outage caused by raccoon