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Deer management underway in Oak Bay
For years, the recently retired Hazel and Rod Braithwaite have planned to put their entire lives on their backs and attempt the 4,200km Pacific Coast Trail starting March 25. Updated travel advisories are the first hiccup in an adventure sure to be full of them. (Travis Paterson/News Staff)
Travis Paterson News Staff
When Oak Bay police fielded a report of a man with a rifle out walking on Monday morning it wasn’t exactly a false alarm, but it also wasn’t a real rifle. It was veterinarian Adam Hering of the Urban Wildlife Stewardship Society with the organization’s modified rifle that is used to apply immuno-contraceptives and boosters to adult does in Oak Bay. The program started last year and for the rest of March, Hering and team are doing a re-capture of the control group tagged in 2018, but were never given the contraceptive. Hering is checking does for pregnancy, and reapplying collars to does from the control group (that weren’t given contraception) that were tagged as part of the control group back in 2018, but which have now lost their tags. Sixty does were tagged in 2019 and administered the contraceptive. About 17 were in the control group. “We are hecking all the animals and checking if they are pregnant through a blood test called pregnancy-specific protein B,” Hering said. “At this time of year they are far enough along in pregnancy to detect if they’re pregnant without interfering with the pregnancy.” Each day before heading out to find deer in Oak Bay, Hering alerts the Oak Bay Police Department as to what neighbourhood he will be in. He also wears a bright yellow vest. Monday wasn’t the first time residents have called the police. This month’s work is essentially interim. Hering also wanted to respond to public concerns that the collars appeared tight on the animals. Continued A5
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Councillor set to embark on trek of a lifetime Hazel and Rod Braithwaite plan to conquer 4,200-km Pacific Crest Trail Travis Paterson News Staff
Expect the unexpected and be ready for something to go wrong. Hazel and Rod Braithwaite have been preparing for years to hike the 4,200-kilometre Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Manning Park. And now they’re finally ready. Hazel, 60, retired in January after 20 years at Coast Capital and three
with United Way. Rod, 63, retired in June after 25 years with Victoria Hospice, many of which were as the CFO and COO. They have planned, re-planned and planned again, having scoured the myriad blogs and how-to guides about the Crest. On average, only about 25 per cent of the trekkers who attempt the Crest trail finish each year. This is not another story about the novel coronavirus. Rather, the novel coronavirus has asserted itself as the first barrier for the Braithwaites to overcome. Put bluntly, “If you do this, you have to be able to tolerate the suck,” Rod said. Last Monday, they were almost sure they could sneak out of the country by plane and find their
way to the Crest trailhead, 80 km returning internationally have been from San Diego. directed to do by the provincial By Friday, things had obviously health minister. Continued A4 changed. “We are going to de- S en i o r s S cide [next week] unless ave the decision is made off for us,” said Hazel, a Your purch fourth-term councilas Wednesday e every First of every m lor. onth. *Some The plan was exceptions to take about 5.5 apply. see in stor months to cover the e for details various terrains of * LIVE W the Pacific Crest ELL W ITH Trail as it winds through CaliforFor Ev EARN nia, Oregon and Your FamilyerNyteehing You & POINTS d to Live W ell & SAVE! Washington. It 25 0 -598 -338 0 • dwarfs the 1422 0 0 Oa o k B ay Av wa wkwb.oaaykb pa enue hyp arm harm a sa day quarantine asa ve .c.coom ve m the Canadians
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