It was a busy year in the wildlife business, according to a report recently reviewed by Princeton council.
There were 111 calls from the community to the Conservation Officer Service (COS) regarding bobcat, deer, lynx, elk, black bear, cougar and moose between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31.
“Anecdotally there were many additional encounters with black bears, cougars, coyotes, raccoons and rats,” states the report by Carolyn Black, Wildsafe BC community coordinator.
Four cougars were reported, and one of those that was stalking a residential neighbourhood was killed in June by an RCMP officer.
There were 44 black bears reported, with 42 per cent of those sightings being linked to food conditioning.
In the fall, COS put down a bear sow and three cubs that were linked to property damage.
Deer were reported 51 times. Sixty-one per cent of those calls were about an injured or distressed animal and six per cent were considered aggressive. In January two reports were filed about either a bobcat or a lynx attracted by backyard chickens.
There were five reports of injured or dead elk, and one moose was reported walking through town.
READ MORE: Princeton RCMP sergeant kills cougar threatening residential neighbourhood
READ MORE: Mother bear and three cubs put down by conservation officer in Princeton
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:mailto:andrea.demeer@similkameenspotlight.com
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