relocated ATTEMPTS WILL be made next spring to reduce Wesi Vancouver’s exploding coyote population. By Elizabeth Collings News Reporter The decision to relocate the animals by snaring them in nets was made at a meeting held this week between ministry of en- vironment officials, West Van- couver and B.C. SPCA repre- sentatives, West Vancouver Mayor Don Lanskail and municipal staff. The meeting was held to address the recent jump in the number of coyote attacks on West Vancouver domestic pets. SPCA SATISFIED West Vancouver SPCA director Marsha Nixon said the SPCA is satisfied that the agreed-upon system of netting the coyotes is the most humane way to capture and relocate the animals. The coyote netting will take place next April and May, when coyote females, which can give birth to up to seven pups a year, rarely leave their dens. Once a den is located and it is determined that the coyote pups’ eyes are open, a net will be placed over the den while the surroun- ding area is dug up, forcing the mother and pups into the net. Nixon said the method has the advantage of relocating both the mother and the pups to a more natural environment. Although the male, which would normally be hunting in spr- ing, will not be caught, Nixon said the coyote population will even- tually be reduced but not eradicated. The SPCA will monitor the coyote population to evaluate the effectiveness of the netting pro- gram. Although the actual netting and relocation of the coyotes will be the ministry of environment’s re- sponsibility, West Vancouver municipal manager Terry Lester said municipal parks staff might assist. environment officials in digging up the coyote dens. REPORT DENS Next year residents will be ask- ed to report the location of dens to the West Vancouver SPCA or the ministry of environment as the time for the netting program ap- proaches. The reports of coyote attacks on cats and small dogs, particular- ly in the lower British Properties and Caulfeild areas, have become commonplace this spring and have raised resident fears that coyotes could attack human beings. One of the reasons for the in- creased coyote attacks, Nixon said, is that the coyotes’ usual food source of rodents, squirrels and raccoons is insufficient to support the growing coyote popu- lation. UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR A Sentinel Hill resident, Nixon said she became alarmed at the unnatural coyote behavior in her area after a coyote attacked one of her dogs in her backyard this year. Nixon said the increasing boldness of coyotes is a concern because the animals should natu- rally be afraid of human contact. The SPCA and_ environment ministry are advising residents to supervise their pets outdoors dur- ing the day and to keep them in at night. Nixon said they are also urging people not to feed coyotes because feeding them will encourage in- creasingly unnatural coyote behavior. Index B Automotives........... 19 Home & Garden ....... 13 W Classified Ads.......... 48 HM Mailbox .............. 7 WEcolnfo............... 42 W@W Paul St. Pierre ......... 9 W Editorial Page ......... 6 &@ Whar Going On ...... 18 Weather Friday sunny. Saturday morning overcast; sunny in the afternoon. High Friday, 22°C; Saturday 24°C. North Shore air quality: good. Second Class Registration Number 3885 Friday. August 3. 1990 ~ North Shore News - 3 chestra this weekend. Ambrose amazes AMBROSE THE Magician thrills the crowds at a recent public performance at North Vancouver's Lonsdale Quay. Entertainment is scheduled at the Quay throughout the summer including a concert by the Vancouver Symphony Or- —y NEWS photo Paul McGrath Fire hazard forces partial closure of demo iorest THE SEYMOUR Eemonstration Forest in North Van- couver District has been partially closed to the public because of continuing dry weather that has pushed the fire hazard in local forests to a high rating. During the partial closure, demonstration forest visitors will be restricted to travelling within the first two kilometres from the forest gate. Greater Vancouver Regional District spokesman Bud Elsie said that cycling to Seymour Falls dam and hiking in the area beyond the two-kilometre marker will not be permitted until the fire hazard is reduced. But Sunday tours of the forest tours will continue because they are conducted in the forest's Rice Lake area, which is within the open boundary. Elsie said the GVRD is still evaluating a complete closure of the forest, which would be in- stituted if the area fire hazard reaches the extreme rating. “We're hoping that it’s not go- ing to happen,”’ he said. By Ejiizabeth Collings News Reporter Meanwhile, West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park was closed Tues- day because of the extreme fire hazard created by more than three weeks of hot, rainless weather. Other parks on the North Shore remain open, be’ local fire departments are advising that people use extreme caution while in area parks. Camping fires and smoking are not allowed in the parks because of the high readings, said North Vancouver District. Fire Depart- ment Capt. Bert Batt. He added that park visitors are restricted to the trail networks within the parks while the fire hazard is rated high. GVAD spokesman Bud Elsie ...forest may be completely closed. According to an Environment Canada forecast, the probability of sain in the Lower Mainland area during the next few days is euro.