Bells & Radios

These beautiful dogs--Treeing Walker Coonhounds, I believe-- were brought in to tree the cougar that had been hanging around the area. Unfortunately, it was then shot and killed by the Conservation Officers.

They explained that because it was a young male, rather than a mother and cubs, they would not relocate it. Male cougars (aka mountain lions) are highly territorial and will fight other males to the death if they come into their bit of land. So it is considered inhumane to move a cougar to another territory where it will be subjected to an almost-certain painful death. Vancouver Island has the highest population of these animals anywhere in the world, so virtually all the territory is claimed. When a male reaches a year of age, his mother will "kick him out" and he has to go find his own place. This one came to our neighbourhood and instead of hunting deer as most others do, it had taken to going after chickens, cats, and goats. It had recently followed a child on a bicycle, which I think is what ensured its demise.

Even knowing all of this it was still extremely sad to see a beautiful wild animal killed, especially since at the root of the conflict is a loss of habitat due to human encroachment, specifically us and our neighbours in this case. The conservation officers told us that we are in prime cougar country so I doubt this will be the last encounter.