WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090809

In wildlife news today, University of Illinois' veterinary school was able to successfully rehabilitate a bald eagle found coated with sludge in a sanitary pond; the next article provides some background material on bald eagles in Florida, often the first 'snowbirds' to arrive for the winter; but wildlife officials in India, concerned for their vulture population, are keeping a close eye on these important carrion feeders. A Pennsylvania motorist, attempting to miss a deer in the road, hit a power pole instead! Farmers in Maryland are complaining about deer grazing on their crops, prompting many to call for hunters to thin their ranks; but with a robust deer population, Rhinelander, Wisconsin, is sponsoring an urban deer hunt. A bow hunter in Oregon who had set up to bag a deer, bagged a cougar instead! Wildlife and pet columnist Gary Bogue provides some insight on a darkened feline and how to get a possum out of your trashcan humanely. A letter to the editor of the Salt Lake Tribune chides would-be wolf hunters about their recreational choice; but a German Shepherd with neurological problems was mistakenly shot by animal control officers in a North Carolina community who thought that it was a rabid coyote. A writer from Grass Valley, California, advises pet owners to keep an eye on their critters when they let them outside, because coyotes are prowling the area; and a Virginia community is reconsidering their bounty on coyotes due to an increase in deadly encounters with pets; while cat owners in Providence, Rhode Island, have had a bad summer of coyotes making off with their pets. A resident of a community in Alberta, Canada, discusses some of the stinky local neighbors; even as a vet provides some tips on how to administer first-aid to 'skunked' pets. Hayward, California, is putting on an exhibit of the California grizzly bear, which was exterminated in the 1920s (but, hey, if the Australians can try to resurrect the Tasmanian Tiger, maybe Californians will resurrect the California grizzly bear!) A newspaper from New York is encouraging readers to send in photos and video of bears they have seen in their area. And finally, Knut, the world famous Berlin polar bear, is going to be getting a new friend, though not a true girlfriend!

Area wildlife experts get eagle back in the air

Bald Eagles Among First 'Snowbirds' To Arrive In Florida

State to keep hawk eye on vulture growth

Driver strikes utility pole after avoiding deer in Dickinson Township

‘Exploding’ numbers of deer present woe on crops

City brings back bow hunt to help control deer herd

Deer hunter comes home with a cougar

Gary Bogue: Mysterious big black cat: A mountain lion with mange?

Shooting wolves

German shepherd shot in Brunswick County

Beware of coyotes when letting your dog outside

Tazewell officials examine existing bounty on coyotes

Cats becoming prey to coyotes

Resident warns of Edson skunk problem

What to do if your pet is sprayed in the eyes with skunk spray

California s grizzly bears live on in new museum exhibit

READER PHOTOS: Local bear sightings (new photos today)

Bear meets girl: Berlin zoo gets female polar bear

WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090709

We lead off wildlife news today with a story about a red-tailed hawk that was released back into the wild in Ventura County, California; followed by one about a hawk observation post in Utah with 30 years of history that is struggling to remain open due to budget cuts. As the deer population exceeds the maximum allowable number in a Virginia wilderness park, hunters will be allowed to cull the herd; but a West Virginia woman captured a very rare albino deer visiting her yard on film. Two Kansas motorcyclists were injured, one of them seriously, when a pair of deer jumped out into the road ahead of them; while a deer-motorcycle collision in Central Texas resulted in a man going to the hospital, and a woman dying at the scene. A New York Times article explores the deer-tick problem in microcosm: the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts. A coyote afflicted with mange will be put down by wildlife authorities in New Hampshire when they encounter it next; but an elusive cougar that had been prowling around a Seattle park was captured over the weekend and repatriated in the Cascade foothills. The plight of the Andean bear is recounted by the next article; however, a clever bear raided a freezer at a Colorado hotel lodge, outsmarting hotel workers! An Ontario, Canada, bow hunter is facing criminal charges after a wayward shaft aimed at a bear landed near a neighbor; while a Montana motorist had a close encounter of the furry kind! The limitations of animal control in a North Carolina community visited by black bears is discussed; but the value of GPS trackers in following the black bear population in Florida is explored by the next article. In the wake of a number of grizzly bear deaths in the Yellowstone National Park area, federal and state wildlife officials are discussing what to do about the situation. A number of counties in Ohio will be distributing rabies vaccine baits in the wild to reduce the number of rabid raccoons in that state; while a kitten in New Jersey that was bitten by a raccoon tested positive for rabies. Pet owners in Nebraska were reminded to keep rabies vaccinations current on their pets after a rabid skunk was found in a community there; and the next article, from Santa Cruz, California, discusses the phenomenon of adolescent skunks searching for new homes. A Colorado community is up in arms about skunks making their homes under houses in the area. And finally, cats of the world beware - a giant rat weighing 3.3 pounds has been found in New Guinea!

Release of hawk signals opening of Ventura Hillsides Festival

Utah town no longer hawk monitor

Hunters will aim to reduce deer numbers in Suffolk park

Albino Deer Spotted In Bethlehem Yard

Motorcycle-deer accident hurts two

Woman killed when motorcycle hits deer; attacker sought in North Austin stabbing

Tick-Borne Illnesses Have Nantucket Considering Some Deer-Based Solutions

Hampton marks increase in coyote sightings

Cougar caught in Seattle being released in wild

Hanging on, bearly

Bear Escapes From Hotel Lodge After Stealing Ice Cream

Man faces charges after slaying backyard bear with bow and arrow

Bear drops in on local woman's Glacier trip

Police investigate bear sightings

Bear trackers use GPS in bid to preserve the animals

Campaign Seeks to Stem Grizzly Bear Killings in Yellowstone Region

Raccoons to be fed vaccine for rabies

Mays Landing Kitten Tests Positive For Rabies

Rabid skunk in city draws attention to need for pet vaccinations

Skunk sightings increase as kits look for new homes

Time to raise a stink about skunks under houses

New giant rat species discovered

WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090509

As the wildfires in Southern California subside, wildlife who used to live in the hills are emerging tired, hungry, and homeless into the residential areas surrounding their former habitat (and with over 150,000 acres burned in the Angeles National Forest, there's going to be a lot of hungry, thirsty critters looking for succor in someone's back yard!) Residents in Palo Alto, California, probably wondered what the fuss was about a cat on the roof of a neighbor's house, however this kitty was a little larger than most! The father of a Canadian boy who was attacked by a cougar in Washington state comments on the attack and its aftermath. A Colorado family is mourning the loss of their dog, fatally injured by a coyote who jumped the fence into their yard; while the Christian Science Monitor jumps into the dogfight surrounding wolf hunting in the US. A man from Pawling, New York, died after a motorcycle collision with a deer; while an Indian man has been apprehended by authorities trying to sell the hides of protected deer. An orphaned bear cub that had wandered into the wild after its mother was killed needed some treatment and food, which was provided by a California Fish and Game facility; but law enforcement officials in Florida are investigating the shooting of a protected black bear. A Massachusetts community is bracing for the annual influx of hungry bears raiding bird feeders and trash in anticipation of a long winter's nap; however, doctors and nurses at a Tennessee medical center nearly had an emergency of their own when a black bear showed up outside their facility! An elderly woman in a North Carolina park had a bit of a disagreement with a black bear over a can of soft drink. An eagle will be released in a Michigan county later today after having been rehabilitated; but an injured hawk that had been taken to a New Jersey wildlife rehabilitator with a broken wing has died. A report titled "Australia's Hidden Treasures" lives up to its name with hundreds of new species of flora and fauna revealed. And finally, despite a traumatic experience escaping the Black Saturday bushfires, Tasmanian devils evacuated to Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary have proved remarkably resilient (not to mention prolific!)

Los Angeles wildfire drives wildlife to backyards

Mountain lion reported on south Palo Alto roof

B.C. dad says son is on the mend after being attacked by cougar

Coyote attacks Lakewood family dogs

Animal advocates howl over wolf killing

Husband of Pawling Town Supervisor killed in motorcycle accident

Man held with four deer skin

Orphaned bear treated at CALM, released back into wild

Officers probing bear shooting

Pelham police sound alarm on bear necessities

Black Bear Makes Stop At Bristol Regional Medical Center

Bear scares appear over

Eagle to be released in Leelanau County

Hawk rescued in Millville dies

Amazing new species identified

Fire and flight no turn-off for horny devils

WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090409

Pet and wildlife columnist Gary Bogue provides a cautionary tale about "scouting your yard" before sending pets out to do their business; which is an infinitely preferable alternative to that of shooting wildlife instead. Swedish wildlife officials have given hunters free range in exterminating raccoon dogs whenever they encounter them. A rabid raccoon was reported by passersby in Brattleboro, Vermont; health officials in New York state are advising residents to avoid rabid wildlife; but a rabid skunk turned a blessed event (the birth of several puppies) into a Nebraska family's nightmare; and nearly 3 dozen rabid animals have been identified in a West Virginia county so far this year. The downside of poisoning possums in New Zealand is revealed by a poison check of local water sources. A resident of Louisiana reflects on the virtues of using animal control instead of a shotgun to limit skunk incursions in your yard. An Arizona elementary school was forced into lockdown after a small black bear was seen on campus; but a black bear got a fatal welcome while raiding a freezer in an Alaskan home. Wildlife officials have closed parts of a popular park in Alberta, Canada, due to grizzly bears foraging in preparation for wintertime in the area; while, in the wake of the death of a Colorado resident by a hungry bear she was feeding, and knowing that bears are going into a feeding frenzy as fall nears, officials in Colorado are sponsoring a seminar to inform the public of how to coexist with their furry neighbors. A wildlife rehabilitation Center in Florida will be releasing their 374th bald eagle back into the wild. A second four-year-old girl was injured by a deer in a Massachusetts Park (a four-year-old girl was injured there a few weeks ago); and a bicyclist in Maine is recovering from a broken leg following a collision with a deer on the road. Another New Jersey town will allow deer hunting within the city limits to thin the herd and, thereby, avoid more deer-auto collisions and cases of deer starvation over the winter; but Minnesota lawmakers have decided to ban possession of weapons (guns or bows) whenever people "shine" deer in that state, in order to reduce poaching. A five-year-old Canadian boy was injured when a cougar jumped him in a northeastern Washington state park; while the remains of a Labrador retriever, which apparently had been attacked by a cougar, were found in Moorpark, California. Wildlife officials will be using Karelian bear dogs to help track a cougar that has been frequenting Seattle's Discovery Park; and cougar hunting will begin soon in North Dakota. Foxes had better make themselves scarce in West Virginia, now that wildlife officials are allowing sales of live foxes to organizations that provide hunting hounds; but residents of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, are taking precautions after several coyote encounters in the area. And finally, scientists have determined that wolves have an edge in logical analysis over dogs, in part because of their lack of association with human cues for making decisions.

Gary Bogue: Phillip Garrido: Long-distance concern for a cat's welfare

Man who shot raccoon could have avoided hurting animal

Rabid raccoon found on Williams Street

Avoid rabies threat

Rabies: Officials urge vaccination

Greenbrier Co. reports 35th rabid animal this year

Water supply gets all clear after checks for poison

Creatures cause problems in yards

Bear forces elementary school into lockdown

Black bear killed after raiding freezer

Hungry grizzly bears force partial closure of Cardston park

Living Safely in Bear Habitat the Subject of Public Presentation

Wakulla County To Release Bald Eagle

Another 4-year-old girl hurt by deer at Mass. zoo

Deer crossing road runs into bicyclist

Morris County town invites bowhunters to cull deer

Shedding light on changes in deer shining law

5-Year-Old Hurt in Washington State Cougar Attack

Mountain lion kills dog in Moorpark

Discovery Park closed after third cougar sighting

King of the mountain

Sale of Live Foxes Permitted in West Virginia

Coyotes Keep Residents On Edge

Wolves Beat Dogs on Logic Test

WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090309

First up in wildlife news today, Kelly Burgess, of the Los Angeles Times, chronicles the first two wolf kills in Idaho's controversial hunt; and a conservationist pleads for help in stopping the hunting of wolves in Alaska. Montana, another state that's hosting a wolf hunt, is also waiting to hear whether it will be canceled by a federal judge's ruling; but a hunter argues that they are not as bloodthirsty as critics make them out to be. Residents of Thousand Oaks, California, discuss the issue of coyotes attacking their pets; followed by an article from nearby Calabasas that details the aftermath of a coyote attack on a dachshund. Two Colorado communities are getting educated on coyotes: WildEarth Guardians is working with Centennial to educate people on coexisting with coyotes in the area; and Aurora has received some funds to help them discuss alternatives to shooting coyotes. An article written by Camilla Fox of Project Coyote discusses the dysfunctional organization overseeing testing of fur-bearing animal traps in the US. Residents of a Michigan town are debating what sort of wildlife has been "tearing up their yards". A New Hampshire wildlife rehabilitator is getting caught in a financial crunch which could impact their operation; and speaking of crunches, a software billionaire is recovering from a safari in which he suffered broken bones from an elephant attack! The body of a brown bear sow was discovered on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska and is believed to be the mother of three orphaned cubs that were euthanized a few days ago. An Op-Ed piece from Montana laments the lack of funding for better education of tourists on bears, resulting in more bears being destroyed due to humans feeding them; Montana wildlife officials had to euthanize a 20-year-old bear after a traffic collision severely injured him; and the long, colorful life of a fugitive bear in Montana is chronicled in the next item. A volunteer who had part of her finger bitten off by a black bear at a Florida wildlife shelter feels worse for the bear, who is paralyzed from the waist down, than she does for herself; while an organization researching bears that are dumpster diving in Durango, Colorado, reports on some of their findings. With winter on the horizon, bear activity in Ontario, Canada, communities is expected to increase as the ursines gorge themselves prior to hibernation; but a drug bust in British Columbia led to the discovery of poached bear paws in a freezer. A sheriff's deputy in Florida was able to help a raccoon out of a tight situation; followed by an article that tells you everything you ever wanted to know about skunks, minus the smell! Police in Redwood City, California, are warning residents of a cougar sighting this morning; and some background material on cougars in Colorado is up next. A male cougar in Arizona was shot by wildlife officials after killing 15 big horn sheep in a wildlife refuge. Restrictions on deer hunting in Missouri have yielded big bucks (unfortunately, not the kind that would help their deficit!); but at the opposite end of the spectrum, zookeepers in Belfast, Ireland, are ecstatic about their latest addition, a tiny endangered Chilean pudu. With preparations for an urban deer hunt underway, the police chief of a Wisconsin community discusses the event; while a Michigan motorcyclist struck a deer that jumped in front of him, ending up in the hospital. A fledgling red-tailed hawk that had fallen out of a nest was rehabilitated and released in a field in Oregon. And finally, a Cooper's Hawk in Washington state provided a graphic example of the old saying "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"

Hunters kill two wolves in Idaho on opening day

Wolves under fire in Alaska, too!

Northern MT hunters can take most wolves in hunt

Wolves not really in danger

Living close to coyotes isn’t always easy for T.O. residents

Close call for pooch in coyote attack

Coyote education goal in Centennial program

Aurora receives funding to teach about coyote dangers

Trapped in Debate

Sanford residents wonder if wild pigs are tearing up Midland County town's yards

Tightening finances threaten couple's help for animals

Software mogul attacked by elephant during safari

Bear corpse found in Sterling: Fish and Game says it may be mom of dispatched cubs

Bear education needs more funding

Bear put down after collision near Gardiner

Killing of problem bear in Swan Valley ‘last resort’

Woman says bear bit her finger at Homestead rescue center

Bear Necessity?

Bear activity likely to jump here this month

Ten bear paws seized in bust

Fla. deputy helps raccoon with head stuck in jar

Getting to know skunk kits

Mountain lion sighted

Mountain lion spotted near 33 and C roads

Arizona officials kill mountain lion near Kofa wildlife refuge

Mo. rule on deer hunts leads to bigger bucks

Smallest deer is born at city zoo

Police chief discusses deer hunting within city limits

Motorcyclist hospitalized after striking deer, crashing

Red-tailed hawk soars free in memory of Gordon Scott Sr.

Birding: Cooper’s hawk gorged on goldfinch

WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090209

In wildlife news today, Camilla Fox of Project Coyote provides some background material on learning to coexist with coyotes in Central California (or indeed, anywhere); while coyote attacks in a Colorado area are considered normal for that part of the country by wildlife officials. An Arkansas skunk trapper was attacked by a hungry coyote; and a cautionary tale from Alabama about an encounter with a coyote that resulted in rabies shots for the dog owner underscores the importance of not getting bitten in the first place! Having killed 29 livestock in Oregon, a pair of wolves is being hunted by wildlife officials; and an animal that was found dead in a Texas barn may actually be an extremely rare Chupacabra. In order to limit the spread of disease, Wisconsin has imposed restrictions on moving deer carcasses within that state; followed by some advice to plant lovers faced with plant predators, like deer, provided in an ABC news story. A deer struck by a car flew into the windshield of another vehicle, killing a six-year-old occupant; but Maryland officials reported that there has been a decrease in deer-auto collisions in townships where an urban deer hunt was conducted each year. A Virginia community is debating the merits of urban deer hunting after complaints by homeowners about vegetation damage and concerns about deer tick-borne Lyme disease. A 34-year-old grizzly bear had to be put down at a zoo in Idaho due to health problems; but residents of a village in Kashmir, India, chased a black bear out of their town and killed it in the nearby forest. After a rabid raccoon was found in one North Carolina community, health officials alerted residents; and a rabid skunk got into a pen with a puppy elsewhere in that state, forcing the puppy owner to have the dog euthanized; while a New York County has reported four animals, each representing a different species, who have been diagnosed with rabies. Homeowners in a Nebraska community are on edge after reports of a cougar in the area; but an outdoorsman from Central California points out that news of cougars in their area is nothing new, that they've been there for years. Two stories from Colorado: more details on a cougar attack over the weekend are provided by the first article; followed by a story in which a backpacker provides some tips on surviving an encounter with a cougar. A cougar prowling a Seattle suburb has been spotted again; but wildlife officials say they're ready to collar it the next time it's seen. The Caribbean island of Grenada has reinstated hunting season after a moratorium. And finally, an article from Virginia hails back to a time when the state would actually pay a bounty for the scalps of wildlife considered to be vermin, including hawks!

Learning to coexist with coyotes

Wildlife officers downplay coyote attacks in Frisco

Coyote Attacks Man in Fort Smith Backyard

Rabid Coyotes And Flu Shots

Kill order placed on Ore. wolves killing livestock

"Chupacabra" Found Dead in Texas Barn; the Video Link

New Restrictions on Movement of Deer Carcasses from CWD Zone

Flower Bulbs Make a `Box Lunch' for Garden Pests

Flying Deer Kills 6-Year-Old Boy in Bizarre Traffic Accident

Deer-vehicle collisions in Montgomery continue to decline

Bow Hunt for Deer Debated in Leesburg

Zoo officials euthanize grizzly bear

Black bear killed in Jammu and Kashmir

Rabid raccoon found in Hope Mills

Skunk Confirmed With Rabies in Sherrills Ford

Rabid animals found in Genesee County

Elm Creek Residents Report Mountain Lion

Lake County home to healthy big cat population

Family believes mountain lion attacked horse

What to do if you meet a mountain lion

Magnolia residents: There's a huge cougar roaming here

Wildlife Agents Ready If Cougar Is Spotted Again

Grenada opens hunting season

Cash for hawk scalps was a popular program

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