'You don't release animals to their death', say experts who defend killing cougar cub

Destroying acougar cub that was found last week in downtown Kamloops was the most humane option available, according towildlife management staff.

The kitten was killed after wandering into the community.

Conservation officers originally intended to release the cub back into the wild, but upon discovering the animal was only four or five months old, officersdecided against it.

"To release this animal back intothe wild at that age, it is a certain death for that animal. It would starve to death," said conservation officer Kevin Van Damme.

Adrienne Clay,wildlife supervisor at the B.C. Wildlife park, agrees.

"Young guys like that that are orphaned, they can't hunt for themselves, they can't fend for themselves not only do they not have the skills, but they just don't have the body size or the capability to look after themselves,' she said.

Claysaysthere are few choices for young cougars in the province.

"If [the cub]came to us, the only options we would have would be to euthanize it right away or lookfor another facility because everything in B.C. is full for cougars."

She says it would also be a struggle to send the cub to a facility out of province because there are no zoos actively looking for cougar cubs right now.

Clay says they wouldn't look atreleasing the cub into the wild.

"Anybody who works with wildlife knows that's not an option you don't release animals to their death."

Integration tough for older cubs

About a year ago, the B.C. Wildlife Park accepteda four-month-old cougar cub, now named Kalamalka. Park staff are still trying to introduce him into the main enclosure where the park's other cougar, Zoe lives.

"He's really quite fearful of everything new and that's because he didn't have a mom to teach him how to deal with new encounters," said Clay.

Clay says even if theother cougar cub wereto find a space, he would face similar challenges toKalamalka.

Rehabilitation isn't the best choice for cougars in B.C. Studies have found cougars don't learn the skills necessary to survive in the wild if they are orphaned before 10 months of age.One studydiscovered that cubs under a year needed their mothers to learn howto successfully hunt.

Clay says killing ananimalmakes sense in many cases because the survival rates for rehabilitated animals are so low.

"It is so hard to make that decision knowing that it is an informed decision ... and it is the best choice for the animal."

• Orphaned baby cougar finds temporary home in conservation officer's garage

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