B.C. conservation officers dealt with 30,000 human-wildlife conflict calls through the RAPP hotline in 2022, and a few were bewildering.
To take the edge off the start of 2023, the Conservation Office shared 10 head-scratching calls that they’ve described as a lighthearted look behind the scenes.
1. A caller advised a peacock had entered their home through an open door.
“There is no threat to their safety, and the caller’s grandpa is not encouraging it to leave, due to weather,” according to the Conservation Office. “They will call back if it becomes an issue.”
2. A caller and a few others in the area were worried about a ram, or bighorn sheep, that’s been seen on its own.
“Latest sighting yesterday on a blind corner. Big, maybe 350 pounds. Needs a mate,’ the Conservation Office said.
3. A caller advised snakes were in her garden and she was concerned for them. She wanted to set up an appointment to have them removed.
4. A caller said they had a pond on their property that collects water from five lots and drains into a fish-bearing stream.
“There are no tadpoles this year and they want to know what’s happened,” the Conservation Office said.
5. The RCMP received a call from an individual who reported having seen a bush rustle and then they heard some purring from the area.
“Caller was concerned it was a cougar,” the Conservation Office said.
6. A caller said there was an otter family in the area, and they expressed some concern that they were “attracting a lot of people.”
7. There was no taming the creature at the centre of a call to the Conservation Office, reporting a dead shrew.
“Advised we are not concerned, but insisted he needed to make a report,” the Conservation Office said.
8. New wildlife neighbours prompted one caller to report a badger that was making a den in her backyard.
“Not concerned about it, just thought we would like to know,” the Conservation Office said.
9. Another caller reported a bear “attacked a statue that looked like a person, which (was) very concerning to them.”
10. Another caller reported some kind of big, black and grey animals that flew by their driveway. “It was so fast, the caller was unable to identify it,” the Conservation Office said.
While those were the Conservation Office’s Top 10, a couple of the 5,000 deer complaints also gained an honourable mention.
Once a caller said a couple of deer had dug a hole in their yard and were laying in it. The caller assumed the deer were keeping warm but was wondering if she should help them.
Additionally, a caller reported seeing a deer on the side of the road. The deer was not injured and was mobile.