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The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Thursday, June 25, 2015
WILD LIFE Encounters with cougars on the rise in Nanaimo region
Conservation officer Sgt. Ben York stands beside a stuffed cougar at the Nanaimo BC Environment office. The number of local cougar sightings is noticeably higher this year.
[DARRELL BELLAART/DAILY NEWS]
Big cats venturing into residential areas
R
eports of close encounters with cougars are up, leading wildlife officials to speculate whether it’s related to weather or food availability. The increase in cougar reports across the province this spring has also been noticed by mid-Island wildlife officers. “We have increased reports of cougars this year in residential areas,” said Troy Sterling, who had to destroy a cougar in Upper Lantzville Saturday that showed no fear of humans and attacked and killed a small family dog. “We’re not sure why. It could be deer, it could be weather. I don’t know.” Sgt. Ben York, conservation officer in charge in the Central Island region, is also looking into what has changed with wildlife populations.
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“There is no doubt of an said it’s hard to know why increase in sightings of cougars,” human-cougar interactions are York said. “Anecdotally, without on the rise. a doubt we’re getting more cou“We can speculate on the reagar conflict calls.” sons — we’ve got nothOther than the Phaning concrete, or scientiftom Road dog attack ic but the first thing is, in Lantzville, cougars we have a healthy popuhave been reported lation of cougars on stalking dangerously Vancouver Island — it’s close to Departure Bay not in danger or at risk Elementary and several in any shape or form.“ other schools near the At the same time, forested Linley Valley an unusually warm, area, which forms a dry spring has caused Darrell large swath of forest underbrush to dry up, Bellaart surrounded by urban and dry brush crackles neighbourhoods. under foot, which could Reporting Earlier this year in prove difficult even for Ucluelet a young coustealthy cats. gar followed prey into a “They rely on getting home, frightening its owner. close to their prey quietly,” “That’s extreme,” York said. York said. It’s just a theory, While some incidents involve but “when you get a lot of dry, younger male cats that are crunchy undergrowth, it makes inexperienced hunters, York it harder.”
Across B.C. cougar complaints are way up this spring. In April B.C. Environment logged 242 calls, almost double the 153 in April 2014, and the highest since 2011, when the number was at a low of 119. May was similar, with 389, versus 222 the previous year and 136 five years earlier. Some people think heat drives cougars and other mammals down from higher elevations for food and water, but the theory is discounted by biologists. Drought attracts wildlife to higher elevations where cooler conditions encourage green growth. And deer, cougars’ preferred prey, “move to wherever there’s green vegetation,” said Michael Clinchy adjunct assistant professor, University of Victoria Biology Department. Clinchy said typically an increase in activity by a par-
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Gmail users can now add the “undo send” feature to their accounts and give themselves up to 30 seconds to recall an ill-conceived email. » Nation & World, A10
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ticular species can usually be connected to weather factors the previous year, and its impact on population. But last year’s weather was normal, Clinchy said. He said more deer is more likely the reason for the increase. “I don’t think there’s any change in cougar behaviour in relationship to them being more aggressive,” he said. “I think there’s just good reasons for there to be more cougar around, because there are more deer around.” Darrell.Bellaart @nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4235 » We want to hear from you. Send comments on this story to letters@nanaimodailynews.com. Letters must include daytime phone number and hometown.
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