In the News

Wildlife center is struggling to care for 9-orphaned bears
New Jersey's bear orphanage is overflowing.
The arrival of three, 6-month-old bruins yesterday afternoon brought the guest list to nine cubs at the nonprofit Woodlands Wildlife Refuge in Alexandria Township. It is the only facility certified by the state to care for orphaned and injured bears, and it needs money.
"We're at a crisis. We've never had this many, and we're breaking our budget," said Woodlands Director Tracy Leaver, cooling off one of the week's new arrivals with water, as the cub struggled to wake from tranquilization.
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Kayak Angler Encounters Hammerhead
Tampa kayaker Michael Rementer launched off Sanibel on Wednesday morning and found a nice happy bunch of tarpon. He hooked a monster within a few minutes and, as he was reeling it in, Rementer saw the mass of a huge 14-foot hammerhead shark protruding from under his craft.
The massive creature bumped his kayak two or three times while the tarpon found refuge under his partner's kayak. Happily, the tarpon got away and no one was hurt. Rementer said "it was the scariest day of my life," adding that "I won't be near a hooked tarpon in the Gulf of Mexico in a kayak ever again."
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Oregon Senate passes bill to relax cougar hunt restrictions
The state could allow volunteer hunters to use dogs while pursuing cougars under a bill that passed the Senate Friday and will soon go to the governor.
But the debate was much broader, focusing instead on the two-decade old emotional matter of cougar and bear hunting.
"I know there are bigger issues behind this bill," said Sen. Alan C. Bates, D-Ashland. "They are not in this bill."
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Dog Survives Fight with Deer
A dog who was attacked by a deer Thursday morning survived the fight.
Deana Smith, the attacked beagle's owner, said even though her dog, Sage, suffered two broken legs, two bite wounds and lost part of her lip, she now is OK. However, at about 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, she was scared for both her dogs' lives.
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Handfishing Comes to Kansas
The first-ever handfishing season in Kansas opens June 15. At a November 2006 meeting of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission, a regulation was passed allowing handfishing for flathead catfish. While Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) staff do not expect many anglers to participate in this challenging sport, it will offer another outdoor opportunity for the most intrepid outdoorsmen and women.
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