Mountain lions frequently wander from the foothills right into the heart of town. It's routine for them to "take" a pet cat or dog. A full-grown mountain lion can jump over the 8-foot chain link fence behind which you've sequestered your golden retriever, kill it, and then grab it with its mouth and bound back over the fence. The young lion pictured above has found itself on someone's back deck. Good thing that there are no children enjoying themselves on the swings to its left.
The lion doesn't seem to be fazed by her near-cousinhood to behind-glass-door domesicated kitty. Stay inside, Muffy! You'll have a better day. .
A few months ago, wildlife officers killed a lion that had followed the deer downtown and "showed no fear of humans." More commonly, officers shoot the lions with tranquilizer darts and then banish them deep in the mountains west of town.
Mule deer are totally at home in our city. They're so common that no one pays them much mind, except when they eat the shrubbery and the early spring flowers. They're so acclimated to humans that they don't even shy when you come right up to them. They just stare right back at you and go on eating your tulips.
Black bears are also frequent visitors. They patrol unsecured garbage cans, especially in the fall when they're fattening up for hibernation. Recently, one of them became quite a celebrity:
It was shot with a tranquilizer dart and dropped from its perch in a tree on to a mattress, and was then transported back into bear country.
We have another celebrity animal this week, but the story behind it is not so felicitous. A bull elk has been hanging out, for the last few years, right at the western edge of town. He's become a friend, or perhaps a totem, to his human neighbors. But for some stupid reason, two police officers (one of whom owns a taxidermy studio) decided to kill it. Which they did, with a shotgun. The "Mapleton Elk" has been mourned with a candlelight vigil; the police officers have been charged with "suspicion of forgery, tampering with physical evidence, attempting to influence a public official as well as unlawful taking of a trophy elk, conspiracy, killing an elk out of season, unlawful use of an electronic device to unlawfully take wildlife and first degree official misconduct." I'm not proud of them.
Our local coyotes have also been in the news. Although we've always known they were around, they've been discreet. But lately, they've taken to harassing joggers on the Creek Path.
The plan is to "re-educate" them, but "lethal control" has not been ruled out.
Be sensible, coyotes! Stay out of sight. No nipping at the heels of strollers or bikers.
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