Yesterday I was speaking with one of our neighbours.
A few days ago she was out walking with a couple of her friends with their two dogs. One of the dogs was on a leash and the other running free alongside. Unbeknownst to all of them, they were being tracked by a cougar - also known as a mountain lion or puma.
It ran up silently from behind and went straight for the dog on the leash, but when the other smaller dog bolted, the cougar went after it. The cat had it in its powerful jaws in seconds flat! Poor little Otis didn't stand a chance. The three adult women let out blood-curdling screams and the big cat didn't turn a hair.
The conservation officer was notified who, in turn, hired the skill of our local cougar tracker and his dogs. They had the cat treed in no time and the poor thing, who was only trying to survive, was quickly dispatched with a bullet.
Beth was quite distraught about the death of the cougar and I have mixed feelings, as well.
Could it have maybe been relocated?
Probably not. It would have returned to its regular hunting territory and continued to hunt the easy domestic prey.
I have been driving the children to and from school, as well. The location of the attack is right on their school route. Beth had seen the cougar last weekend at the cemetery and was frightened, even though she was inside her own vehicle. The cat was BIG.
Apparently there are still a couple of cougars passing through the area, as they do every Fall. The bears are quite active this time of year, as well. They come down into the valley from the high country to forage and stock up on fruit from the abundant trees and berry bushes to prepare for winter hibernation.
Like any animal, we protect our own and fight back when threatened. Where we lack body mass, strength and agility to fight a large carnivour, we make up with intelligence and use that with which to strike back.
We live in a part of the world where we have to share the land with many other animals - some docile and some downright dangerous.
We have to respect that.
I always have mixed feeling too, when we encroach wildlife territory (more so in cities and suburbs than where you are). A few years back, in the west end on the city and in my neighbourhood, we had a family of coyotes who had ventured into a ravine area near a huge park and made a den. The locals were alarmed by the deaths of many family pets, both cats and small dogs, and my shepherd Sheba and I met up with one during a park walk. Lucky for Sheba, she was roughly the same size and the coyote sensed it might at best be a draw. We got used to indoor or upper yard recess breaks at school when there was a coyote alert.
ReplyDeleteOne adult was hit by a passing car and two of the pups eventually wandered off to another end of town, but it made for harrowing years. It took a few seasons before the squirrel and raccoon population recovered.
What a shame that there are few solutions beyond killing the animal. That story of the bear who opened the door to the Subway restaurant in BC a few days ago, to also eventually get killed once he left, just goes to illustrate further how we are moving into their habitats. Sad results.
I'm sorry for your friend's loss of pet.
xx
AM
Dale, I am so sorry your friend lost her little dog. She must be distraught, but as you say, the cougar was itself just trying to survive. Wouldn't it be great if there could be some kind of alert whenever animals like these are seen in inhabited areas, and if people were warned not to walk in open spaces until the animal is caught and transported to another area? Would that even be possible? You say that Beth saw the cougar from her car earlier, so it must have been known that it would be risky to go walking while the cougar was on the loose. My feelings are also very mixed. In South Africa we had regular visits from Baboon and jackals on the farm during the winter, and we knew they were dangerous to our dogs, so we just kept the dogs close to home when there was a baboon or jackal alert. Not that baboon would eat the dogs, but they would have killed them if challenged, and were regarded as being pretty aggressive. Even so, I wouldn't have liked the idea that they should be shot.
ReplyDeleteInteresting story. It's too bad that all of us mammals can't live in harmony. However, that's not what Mother Nature intended I suppose. I hear way too many stories like this one and it makes me sad. I think the most amazing one was when a cougar was roaming around the city of Victoria and was finally trapped in the underground garage of the Empress Hotel.
ReplyDeleteI remember when living in Ottawa there was a moose that was caught in a swimming pool about a block away from my apartment.
Dale, you do live on the wild side! You're right of course. It's the same for any of us who choose to live in our bush havens (well, I do part-time, anyway). We need to accept that we are the aliens in effect, and must accept the risks that come with being in the midst of nature. Bushfires, snakes and leeches are all I have to worry about though.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been very traumatic for your neighbour and her friends, and very scary for you too. Take care.
I will try to come back soon to catch up on the rest of youur news - I see I've missed lots. Got to run now ...
Dale, I saw your comment on Facebook...haha..I was in my little house in Zeeland when the bad weather struck..and of course with my youngest, I am still the over clucking hen ;-)
ReplyDeleteOMG! A wild tale indeed. I am appalled they shot an animal for hunting and seizing it's prey in accordance with it's natural habitat and instincts.
ReplyDeleteAlthough your friend will no doubt be distraught at witnessing her beloved pet get mauled to death, who wouldn't, but rationally it was just an unfortunate act of nature :(
got to love wildlife. I am very careful where I am aswell. Be careful, smart and respectful.
ReplyDeletewhat an incredible unfortunate incident! Hope my note finds you doing well and i wanted to let you know i heard AC/DC is coming out with a new album (CD) Oct 20th - that would be today, duh!
ReplyDeletelove&hugs,
cherylann
Where are you Dale? It's far too quiet here and I miss you....;-(
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm going to try to post a comment...
ReplyDeletewe move into their territory, encroach more and more, and then wonder why they end up like this.
ReplyDeletewe are a foolish, foolish race.
Hi Dale,
ReplyDeleteI'm back in the blogland and now I try to read a lot of old posts around the world. Thank's for your writing on my blog weeks ago. Now it's autumn time and so it's blog time.
I promise to come back soon.
Have a great week.
Love Stefan
So have we lost you to Facebook too, Dale ? Pleeeeease come back here and do another post. We all miss your writing and your wit and humour. FB isn't half as personal and creative. Love seeing you there too of course, but your blog is a precious thing ! Miss you ;(
ReplyDeleteHi Dale, I thought you might like to take a look at some of Philip's photos. You don't need the words to see what beauty he is travelling through on his journey! They are really stunning! He's only had one unpleasant experience and that was finding a junkie on his ship after a brief absence, but it didn't seem to phase him as he took pics of the guy! Anyway, I can recommend a peek.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I am now a regular visitor to Saltysplash thanks to you dear. I love his blog and am now following it avidly!
Hi Dale,
ReplyDeleteso nice to see you drop on by. :)
xo
Hi Dale, I saw your comment on my HH post. The little boat is moored up in a harbour quite close to my cottage, so it will be very handy for ventures into Belgium as it's right on the border. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to come back to Rotterdam even though I love the river here and Rotterdam is a good place. Still, the peace of the rural areas down south suits me much more, and I'd love to get work in Ghent. I could then move the Vereeniging down there and.....ah well, dreams...hope you are well dear Dale.
ReplyDelete