A nature photographer is taking the battle to Canadian authorities over what he calls an illegal killing of a cougar that left her two cubs orphaned.
John Marriott says he has been monitoring the feminine cougar for 4 years within the Grotto Canyon space close to the city of Canmore, Alberta. He describes her as a “ghost neighbor” and a “good instance of a cat that’s great at coexisting and respecting people and dwelling proper beside us with out us actually understanding it.”
In that point, Marriott has by no means gotten a photograph of the cougar however has captured her on his path cameras on a few events. When checking his distant cameras final month, he found cougar tracks and human tracks, prompting him to research.
“I staked it out in my car as a result of it was proper by the highway,” Marriott tells Global News Canada. “Then I noticed cougar hunters popping out of the bush — and that was the second of shock the place I immediately thought, ‘Is that this the Canmore cougar — and so they have killed her and orphaned some kittens?’”
Marriott says the hunters had been effectively conscious the cougar had kittens and that they, together with their hounds, chased the Mother up a tree and shot her with a bow and arrow. He calls the conclusion “utterly demoralizing.”
Destiny of the Kittens
Calgary Zoo has given a brief house to the orphaned cougars who’re roughly six months outdated. Mountain lions can’t survive with out their mom till they’re one 12 months outdated.
“We’re blissful to share that they’re in good physique situation and are doing effectively. A full well being examination will likely be carried out later this week,” the zoo says in a press release. “Whereas their stick with us will likely be quick, they’re receiving distinctive care as we work with trade companions to search out them a protected, appropriate perpetually house at one other facility in Canada.”
Rocky Mountain Outlook notes that whereas it’s authorized to hunt cougars within the state of Alberta, it’s illegal to hunt younger cougars with noticed fur or a feminine cougar that’s mothering a younger cougar with noticed fur.
However a lot to the chagrin of Marriott, the native Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Companies (FWES) have judged the hunt as authorized.
“Following additional investigation, FWES has decided that the reported harvesting of a feminine cougar within the Canmore space was completed so legally as a part of a regulated hunt,” says Sheena Campbell, director of communications for the Ministry of Public Security and Emergency Companies.
Marriott strongly disagrees and says he has visited the younger cubs at Calgary Zoo and says he can see faint spots on their coats. The photographer is constant to convey consideration to the case. For extra updates, observe him on Instagram.
Picture credit: Header picture licensed by way of Depositphotos.
