John Kitsco

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I cannot help think of the time when our then young family
decided to find a new home for our setter-cross, thinking she
might prefer to be on someones acreage. She was not happy
on a strangers acreage, returned home to stay with us until
it was time to go to doggie heaven. And so it is with animals,
they have a place they call home....

In the case of BC-O3-M-O2 (thats the scientific name given
to a Canada Lynx) - a wild cat that travelled some 2,000 km.
to return close to its original home in Canada.(That info is
courtesy of Canwest News). And thats over highways, mountain
regions and even a stretch of the Colorado desert. In this case,
once the lynx was close to its home it was killed after being
caught in a neck snare. But when found, the animal had written
on its collar: PLEASE RETURN TO COLORADO FISH AND
WILDLIFE.

Scientists who study animals acknowledge that these wild critters are capable of making such a journey. Originally the
Lynx was caught, collared and transported from Canada to
Colorado. That was done out of concern that the Lynx had been
extinct for decades - thus the reason for this re-introduction to
the wilderness of Colorado. And we sometimes wonder about
the wisdom of this kind of animal transfer. Although, for a time
the Lynx had apparently adjusted to its new home, mating with a
female, fathering two sets of litters. Then with its kids growing
up (so to speak) and the shortage of snowshoe hares - the Lynx
decided on its journey back to Canada. And a remarkable journey it must have been. Across four states and almost reaching its destination, close to home but losing its life near
Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, close to the B.C. border.

Scientists tell us that wolves were re-introduced successfully
and yes, sometimes the system works. But its trial and error
at best. And maybe almost playing with nature.

But in the end BC-O3-M-O2 (the friendly lynx) had to go home...
and so it is with our friends in the wilderness,