Shame about the cougar family cull.They didn’t need to die.
They were just doing what comes naturally to them — hunting the easy prey that we have provided for them. Cougars (andbobcats and coyotes) are not oblivious (as we are) to the bounty we are providing for them so they had lost their fear ofhumans.
This spring, yet another generation of urban deer will be born within the city limits — also oblivious to the dangers of anatural habitat. One can’t really blame them either, there’s no discouragement from migrating to the easy-picking lifestyle ofthe city.
Have a look down on the road surface while driving down Duncan Avenue one day and notice all the skid marks from car tires,emergency stops from deer herds on the roadway. This is even more noteworthy when one considers that most vehicle haveantilock brakes nowadays on so don’t leave skid marks in all of the near misses. And the injured deer limping around withbroken legs from car collisions. Have you ever seen the results of a deer that remained alive within an automobile after goingthrough a windshield as often happens? There is a lot of kicking from very powerful hoofs. Not pleasant for the occupants.
In the minds of many, these deer have now been encouraged to evolve into a type of vermin. Existing off easier to access manmade sustenance. Decimating yards, consuming gardens, all flowers and fruit off trees. Not to mention the destruction ofpeoples’ shrubs and decorative trees, all the while depositing huge amounts of excrement so people can no longer use theiryards. We used to like to roll around on our lawn and play with kids and the dog but we can’t anymore.
We used to be able to wrap our trees with netting but they have now learned that the netting can be torn down. Not everyone’syard is conducive to having (mostly unsightly) fencing erected.
Things have changed, as they do, humans are here to stay and we will have to do what’s sensible for all involved. Penticton isnow an unnatural and dangerous habitat to them.
I suppose something will finally be done when somebody’s child gets attacked in a schoolyard or badly injured in a car/deercollision. It’s obvious that something has to be done like has been in other cities. The longer we wait the more difficult it willbe.
Frank McCracken
Penticton
