SOOKE ELVIS IS IN THE BUILDING
NEWS MIRROR
Editorial
Steve Elliott brings Elvis to the Sooke Baptist Church. Page 15
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
FOOTBALL A’PLENTY
Page 8
Entertainment
Page 15
Pre-Atom, Atom and PeeWee football updates.
Sports/stats
Page 22
Page 22, 23
Black Press C O M M U N I T Y
2010 WINNER
N E W S
M E D I A
Agreement #40110541
Your community, your classifieds P18 • 75¢
Three cougars shot
Caught feeding on a goat carcass Britt Santowski Sooke News Mirror
Britt Santowski photo
Just say ‘NO’
Sofie Hagens (left), Coral Poser (centre) and Amy Rubidge (right) in a moment of sunshine at the demonstration outside of the Prestige Hotel on Saturday April 13 around 12:00 noon. They were there to encourage delegates at the AVICC convention to vote against genetically-engineered foods.
While three bears seeking refuge in a tree in the Broomhill playground last week were tranquilized and relocated, three cougars feeding off fenced in livestock elsewhere in Sooke recently had to be put down. Mark Kissinger, Conservation Officer, spoke with the Sooke News Mirror about this recent cougar kill in Sooke. The cougars were exhibiting repeated predatory behaviour and were “killing livestock and not leaving when people were around,” says Kissinger. The female cougar, the mother, had travelled a long way to get here. She was wearing a collar, which was originally placed on her in North West Bay by Nanoose, almost 150 kilometres north of Sooke. She was collared nine years ago, and the conservation officer estimated that she was about three at that time. Unfortunately, explained Kissinger, she had created a current “prey picture” of easy, domesticated prey, and she was teaching that to her kittens. The kittens, who were approximately a year old, were also put down, in part because of their prey picture and also in part to the extreme difficulty in relocating young kittens not ready to exist without their mother’s protection. Relocating cougars is very challenging. Cougars need a
Carrie Kennedy photo
This female cougar and her kitten, feeding on a goat carcass, were killed. One other kitten was shot, another adult cougar fled. very large territory. According to canadiangeographic. ca, “Cougars require a large habitat — upwards of 100 square kilometres — and are very territorial and potentially cannibalistic when competing for prey and/or land.” If dropped into another cat’s territory, the two cats will fight until one is displayed or dead. Relocating extremely old or extremely young cats is more often than not a death sentence. The three bears in the tree, a sow and her two cubs, on the other hand, were not exhibiting any “signs of aggression, and were healthy enough to be released,” said Kissinger.
The three bears were being taken to an area that has lots of food and is not overpopulated. This will give the bears a solid chance for a successful relocation, he explained. Kissinger said that with the growing popularity of the slow food movement, there was an increased desire to raise your own animals. He emphasized that owners of farm animals “need to take ownership to protect both their own livestock and wildlife.” At the centre of this responsibility is proper fencing. Kissinger recommends a three-to-five-strand
Don’t Miss Your Chance in Langford !! $289,000 Great condo alternative! A small but well proportioned & tastefully updated duplex home. Flat fully fenced yard, sunny brick patio for summer BBQs & Millstream Creek meandering through the park bordering your backyard. Private & affordable. Well kept in a wonderful neighbourhood walking distance to schools, restaurants, shopping & Thetis Lake... trails almost at your doorstep. RV Parking. Why look at condos? For the same price, come home to … well, a HOME.
Shelly Davis
250.642.6361
www.ShellyDavis.ca
Email: ShellyDavis@shaw.ca
Continued on page 3