It can’t be easy being a conservation officer at times like these.
Think about it: You have a mandate to protect public safety, but also a compelling mission to preserve and protect the environment and the creatures that are part of it. When one of those critters — which has the capability of taking out a small child — starts exhibiting behaviour that demonstrates a lack of fear of humans or their pets, you’ve got to decide: When does your duty to protect public safety override your mission to preserve and protect the environment?
There’s little question that those who say humans are responsible for the bobcat’s death are correct. But we can’t blame the latest tragedy on one, two or even a handful of those who opted — in the face of warning signs and repeated educational efforts on the part of COs and WildSafe B.C. — to walk with their dogs off-leash in areas in which the bobcat had frequently been sighted over the past two years. In this case, it seems only repeated exposure to humans with off-leash dogs over an extended period would have resulted in the sort of behaviour the animal exhibited recently.
People who ignored the “bobcat in area” signs, we’re looking at you. But it does little good to blame individuals — certainly not the person who spoke to The Chief about an encounter with the bobcat last Wednesday (May 14), the day before COs made the difficult decision to shoot it.
That person, whose name initially appeared in the online version of the story, later asked that his name be removed out of fear for his safety. Heck, he wasn’t even the last person to have encountered the animal, and he only spoke out of a desire to ensure that others didn’t experience similar situations. He and his companions may have made the wrong decision initially, but responded to the situation by trying to help educate others. That’s a laudable and courageous decision in this writer’s books.
Authorities tell us there are other bobcats in the area between Garibaldi Highlands and Alice Lake. There are certainly coyotes, bears and perhaps even cougars roaming around in the bush that surround our town as well. The death of the bobcat should remind all dog owners that when they see a sign, the message “keep pets on leash” applies to everyone.
— David Burke
