FILE PHOTO - A lynx that was cared for at the B.C. Wildlife Park in Kamloops earlier this winter is released by a conservation officer.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK / B.C. Wildlife Park
February 23, 2021 - 5:30 PM
B.C. Conservation Service hopes to allay fears that lynx seen roaming about in Kamloops recently will not be killed.
Conservation officer Graydon Bruce says there have been numerous comments on Facebook from people refusing to notify them about lynx sightings, because they're concerned the animals will be euthanized.
But Bruce says the only time they will euthanize a lynx is if they're too badly injured for rehabilitation. He says the animals to be concerned about are bears or cougars that have been habituated and therefore have become a danger to humans.
"As far as public safety goes lynx are very low risk. They're focused on rabbit-sized prey as opposed to cougars or bears," Bruce says.
A prime example is a lynx that is feeding on ducks in McArthur Island Park in Kamloops. The animal has been prowling the area for several days, and while is generally non-threatening to humans, Bruce says residents have felt too comfortable around it.
"People have been getting as close as they can interfering with the lynx, way too close to any type of wildlife," Bruce says. "We've had several reports of up to 15 people crowding around it on the weekend."
He's advising people to stay clear, as it may be low risk, but still is a potential threat.
However, conservation officials will allow the lynx to continue roaming the area because of its low risk, and because relocation would prove too stressful to the animal.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Darren Rathwell or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2021