Latest news with #ConservationOfficerService
CBC
9 hours ago
- General
- CBC
1.5-metre-long boa constrictor found on the loose in provincial park near Comox, B.C.
Conservation officers successfully wrangled a 1.5-metre-long boa constrictor near Comox on Vancouver Island on Thursday. Officers were alerted to a "potential large snake on the loose" in Miracle Beach Provincial Park, about 150 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, according to a Facebook post from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS). Some trails were temporarily closed, and park visitors were turned away at trail entrances, while officers searched for the snake. Conservation officers are investigating the circumstances of the loose snake. The COS said it does not believe the incident is linked to a boa constrictor that was recently captured in Tofino, B.C. Because of the boa constrictor's length, it is considered to be a "restricted reptile," which means that it cannot be released under any circumstances under the Controlled Alien Species regulation, according to the COS. The boa constrictor is now in the care of the Comox Valley SPCA. SPCA discourages buying exotic pets Sara Dubois, senior director for animal welfare science at the B.C. SPCA, said the snake appears to be healthy. But cold-blooded reptiles, like boa constrictors raised in captivity, can't survive for long outside in B.C.'s cool climate, which is very unlike their native South America. "They shouldn't be living in the wild of Canada, that's for sure," Dubois said. She said a boa constrictor (which is constrictive but not venomous) could prey on small animals if left in the wild, but it could also fail at hunting due to being raised in captivity. Dubois noted there is a four-day legal impound period that gives the owner an opportunity to find their lost pet, if the animal escaped by accident, before the snake can be put up for adoption. If it's found that the snake was intentionally abandoned, Dubois said, a series of investigations would occur. Dubois noted it's illegal to dump animals, and abandonment falls under animal cruelty legislation. Because the snake is less than three metres long, it doesn't require a permit to own under the Controlled Alien Species Regulation, according to Dubois. But she said the SPCA asks very detailed questions of potential exotic pet adopters. They usually already have an appropriate setup, including veterinary care, and extensive knowledge of these species. "Very few people have the expertise to properly care for them," Dubois said. The SPCA discourages people from buying exotic pets, particularly from pet stores. "Sometimes it seems like it's going to be an easy pet, but these exotic animals have really specialized needs," she said.
CTV News
17 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Authorities investigating after large boa constrictor captured in B.C. park
The conservation service says its officers receive special training in the proper handling of a variety of exotic animals that fall under the Controlled Alien Species regulations. (Handout) Conservation officers in British Columbia are investigating after a large boa constrictor was located and captured in a provincial park on Vancouver Island. A statement from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service says the agency 'safely captured' the five-foot snake that was loose in Miracle Beach Provincial Park on Thursday. The agency says it co-ordinated its response with provincial parks staff to close hiking trails and stop visitors from entering the Black Creek-area park while officers searched for the exotic and potentially dangerous reptile. The snake was found and captured at approximately 1 p.m., and was taken to the Comox Valley SPCA after consulting with a provincial wildlife veterinarian, the conservation office said. 'Due to its length, the boa constrictor was determined to be a restricted reptile under the Controlled Alien Species regulation, which means that while a permit is not required to own it, they cannot be released under any circumstances,' the statement said. The office says it is investigating the circumstances of the snake's release, which 'may result in enforcement action' against the animal's owner. 'It is not the first time the COS has seized exotic animals,' the agency added. 'Over the last 10-plus years, officers have captured lions, alligators and monkeys.' The conservation office said the incident is not believed to be related to an incident earlier this month, in which a boa constrictor was reported missing at a beach near Tofino. That snake, estimated at six feet in length, later turned up in its owner's kayak. The conservation service says its officers receive special training in the proper handling of a variety of exotic animals that fall under the Controlled Alien Species regulations. Such species are not native to B.C. and are therefore not considered wildlife.
CBC
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Premier to give Manitoba wildfire update Monday
Social Sharing Provincial officials will give an update on the state of Manitoba wildfires early this afternoon. Premier Wab Kinew and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor are holding a news conference at 12:45 p.m. CT about wildfires burning across Manitoba. CBC News will livestream the update here. Kristin Hayward, assistant deputy minister of the Conservation Officer Service and the Manitoba Wildfire Service, and Christine Stevens, assistant deputy minister of the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization, will join the minister and premier for the update at the Manitoba Legislature. Manitoba declared a 30-day state of emergency May 28 under the Emergency Measures Act, as out-of-control wildfires threatening communities across the province spurred 22,000 people to leave their homes. Wildfires have burned an estimated 902,000 hectares of the province so far. Evacuees from some rural and remote regions have begun to return to their communities as the situation has improved around some of the fires burning in the province. All evacuees staying in Winnipeg had been moved into hotels as of early last week, after the initial crush of evacuees created a shortage of spaces. Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham told CBC News late last week that two of four arenas and soccer complexes that have been devoted to helping and housing evacuees are in the process of being decommissioned as shelters, since they're no longer needed. Recent rain and firefighting efforts have helped quell concerns in some parts of the province, but not all. Some of the 5,100 Flin Flon residents expecting to be allowed to head home this Wednesday are nervous about seeing the extent of damage to the northern community. A fire in the area was about 370,780 hectares in size as of the provincial fire bulletin released on Friday. Tataskweyak Cree Nation residents were given the green light to return about a week ago, only for chief and council of the northern community to reverse course hours later due to concerning levels of aluminum found in local water sources. Meanwhile, business owners, cottagers and residents in the south of Nopiming Provincial Park in eastern Manitoba got the go-ahead to return midweek last week. The Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association is calling on the province to provide owners with financial supports to help them shoulder losses due to a season cut short by the fires. There have been at least 124 fires this spring alone. The average for the past two decades is 118 for the time of year, Kristin Hayward, assistant deputy minister of the Conservation Officer Service and the Manitoba Wildfire Service, said last week. Almost 300 firefighters from out of province — including from Newfoundland and Labrador, Parks Canada and U.S. federal and state agencies — were still in Manitoba as of Friday to help with ongoing efforts.
CBC
20-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Lynn Lake residents to return home as wildfire threat fades, health services start to be restored
Residents of Lynn Lake can soon return home, more than three weeks after a wildfire ordered an evacuation of the northern Manitoba community. The town said in a Facebook post Thursday night that residents can return home as of Friday at 8 a.m. Buses are being arranged for those who need assistance, and town officials will be in contact with those individuals, according to the Facebook post. Officials are telling residents, however, they must be ready to evacuate with little notice if fire conditions worsen. Lynn Lake Mayor Brandon Dulewich said the pending return to their town brings an "overwhelming feeling of joy" for him, as well as the evacuees who spent a few weeks sleeping on cots in a makeshift shelter in Thompson, more than 200 kilometres away. "They've been out of the community for I think 24 days now, but we've been trying to bring you home forever." Delays in reopening ER Dulewich said the evacuation order would have been rescinded earlier if health-care services in the town of roughly 600 people could have been restored faster. The emergency department opened again on Thursday, the mayor said. The fire near Lynn Lake is over 71,000 hectares and remains out of control, according to a provincial wildfire bulletin issued on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Kristin Hayward, assistant deputy minister of the Conservation Officer Service and the Manitoba Wildfire Service, said the north half of the blaze is actively burning but the south part, closer to the community, is looking better. The town said on Facebook that "hot spots" from the wildfire remain close to the community. "There is a continued risk of smoke and falling ash, especially during periods of increased wind and heat." Dulewich commended the people of Thompson for voluntarily looking after his community, which is just over 800 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. He's disappointed that Lynn Lake residents had to endure weeks in a shelter, sleeping on cots, while evacuees from other areas were flown to Winnipeg and stayed in hotel rooms. He wants a fairer system to be developed. "I've gone blue in the face, yelling at different agencies, trying to get the basic humane living conditions for the citizens of Lynn Lake," Dulewich said. "It's unbelievable that they had to have to stay in the makeshift shelter for this long."
Edmonton Journal
31-05-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Five black bear cubs near Williams Lake orphaned after mother shot, killed illegally
Article content Conservation officers who visited the site found the mother bear and confirmed it had been shot and killed. The cubs had moved, though two of the five have since been located and captured, and efforts continue to catch the rest The five cubs will be sent to Northern Lights Wildlife Society where they will be cared for and rehabilitated. B.C.'s Wildlife Act notes that it is illegal to shoot a bear with cubs, or any black bear less than two years old. 'This is an unfortunate situation. It is not every day that you see a black bear successfully rear five cubs at the same time,' said Jeremy Pauls with the Conservation Officer Service. 'The COS is investigating and trying to determine who was involved in the killing of this sow black bear. We are asking for the public's help.' Anyone with information about the killing is asked to contact the Conservation Officer Service through its poacher hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
