DV Plus - Westchester, NY
Are Deer A Threat To Westchester Wilderness? State Parks Department Apparently Thinks So Are Deer A Threat To Westchester Wilderness? State Parks Department Apparently Thinks So
Are Deer A Threat To Westchester Wilderness? State Parks Department Apparently Thinks So Suburban vehicles and wildlife don't mix on Westchester roadways. Deer-car collisions in the region are on the rise, according to state officials. But does wildlife pose a "threat" even in the area's state parks? Apparently so, according to signs warning hikers and runners of the deer invasion at Rockefeller State Park in Pocantico Hills. Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW) has initiated legal action to have the signs taken down. ADOW is the same non-profit organization that fought Mamaroneck over its plan to kill geese in the village, the state on plans to hunt deer and coyotes by hiri…
Know Before You Go: This Town In The Hamptons Just Banned The Release Of Balloons Know Before You Go: This Town In The Hamptons Just Banned The Release Of Balloons
Know Before You Go: This Town In The Hamptons Just Banned The Release Of Balloons A popular Long Island vacation destination is getting a little less festive with the passing of a rare balloon ban. The East Hampton Town Board announced that it has unanimously voted in favor of legislation that will ban the intentional release of balloons in the area. Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, who sponsored the legislation, said that the idea behind the new law was to cut down on litter and to protect wildlife that ingests popped balloons. “Balloons waste natural resources, litter our communities, pollute our waterways and kill wildlife,” the new law states. Balloons are defined a…
Bear Sightings On Rise In Connecticut, Newly Released Stats Show Bear Sightings On Rise In Connecticut, Newly Released Stats Show
Bear Sightings On Rise In Connecticut, Newly Released Stats Show Residents in Connecticut could only grin and bear it in 2018, as the number of black bear sightings reported in the state reached a new high. From Jan. 9 through Dec. 12 last year, the Connecticut State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reported that there were 8,936 sightings, up more than 1,200 from the 7,674 sightings in 2017. According to the DEEP, “black bears are impressive animals. Even a long-distance glimpse of one foraging in woodland is an unforgettable experience for most outdoor enthusiasts. However, glimpsing a bear in Connecticut was once unlikely because bear…
Body Of Rare Pygmy Sperm Whale That Went Missing From Fairfield County Beach Found Body Of Rare Pygmy Sperm Whale That Went Missing From Fairfield County Beach Found
Body Of Rare Pygmy Sperm Whale That Went Missing From Fairfield County Beach Found One week after a request for the person who had taken the carcass of a rare pygmy sperm whale from a beach in FairfieldCounty to return it, the whale has been recovered. The Town of Stratford said the whale, the first spotted on Long Island Sound, that washed up on Russian Beach before disappearing last month has been found. The statement was issued by officials with the town, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, which all worked together to retrieve the whale. "Pygmy sperm whales are rather elusive and this may mark&…
DEC Wants Rare ‘Exotic’ Deer Spotted In Upstate NY Targeted, Killed As Precaution DEC Wants Rare ‘Exotic’ Deer Spotted In Upstate NY Targeted, Killed As Precaution
DEC Wants Rare ‘Exotic’ Deer Spotted In Upstate NY Targeted, Killed As Precaution Conservation officials in New York are encouraging hunters to target and kill an “exotic” non-native species of deer that has been spotted in the state and may potentially infect native animals in the area with a deadly disease. The New York State Department of Conservation has received several trail photos of a male sika deer, according to a report from New York Upstate. The small elk is native to Japan and eastern Asia, and at least two sources have sent photos to environmental officials. According to the report, Jerry Grigonis, of Fulton, said he first noticed the deer on his trail camer…
Search Is On After Body Of Rare Pygmy Sperm Whale Taken From Beach In Stratford Search Is On After Body Of Rare Pygmy Sperm Whale Taken From Beach In Stratford
Search Is On After Body Of Rare Pygmy Sperm Whale Taken From Beach In Stratford Officials with the town of Stratford are looking for the person who took the body of a rare pygmy sperm whale that had washed ashore on Russian Beach. The whale was found in December and examined by Dr. Christian Senft-Batoh, with the town of Stratford, as well as officials with Mystic Aquarium and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, who confirmed that it was indeed a rare pygmy sperm whale, Senft-Batoh, wrote in a letter to residents.   Officials left the whale to wash back into the water and out to sea, she wrote. Residents monitored the whale…
Deaths Of Two Female Black Bears Found In Area Under Investigation Deaths Of Two Female Black Bears Found In Area Under Investigation
Deaths Of Two Female Black Bears Found In Area Under Investigation The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has launched an investigation into the deaths of two female black bears whose bodies were found in the Fuller Mountain Preservice in Warwick last week. Members of the NYSDEC responded to the Conservation on Wednesday, Jan. 2, when the two bears were found in the park. Officials said the bears were then taken and transported to the DEC’s Wildlife Pathology Lab near Albany for evaluation. No cause of death has been provided for the bears. It is not clear if foul play is suspected. According to the New York Department of Environmenta…
Video: Reports Of Fox Sightings On Rise In Area Video: Reports Of Fox Sightings On Rise In Area
Video: Reports Of Fox Sightings On Rise In Area Winter is coming, and with it will come a rash of red fox sightings in suburban areas of New York and Connecticut. Foxes commonly live in close quarters with human residents in certain communities where they can find food, water and cover, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. They frequently take shelter in yards, parks, and golf courses, especially areas that are nearby suitable, undeveloped habitat. During the winter months, foxes expand their territories, primarily due to the decreased availability of prey and extreme weather in open spaces. Thi…
New Coyote Sighting In Northern Westchester: Find Out When, Where New Coyote Sighting In Northern Westchester: Find Out When, Where
New Coyote Sighting In Northern Westchester: Find Out When, Where A large coyote was spotted making the rounds in Northern Westchester.  The latest coyote sighting in Westchester came from a South Salem resident, who saw the "good-sized" animal making the rounds on the Lewisboro Elementary School property on Bouton Road in South Salem at approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5. The sightings come following several others throughout Westchester in recent weeks, including Greenburgh, New Rochelle Eastchester, Mount Pleasant, Chappaqua and Pleasantville as well as Putnam, Dutchess and Rockland counties. According to the DEC, “coyotes are well adapt…
PETA Celebrates Police Department In Westchester For Rescuing Deer PETA Celebrates Police Department In Westchester For Rescuing Deer
PETA Celebrates Police Department In Westchester For Rescuing Deer A police department in the area will be receiving an award from PETA after two officers rescued a deer that found itself caught in a makeshift hammock. A Compassionate Police Department Award is on its way from PETA to the Yonkers Police Department after officers Matthew Donaldson and David MacDonald rescued the buck, whose antlers were caught in a makeshift hammock outside a home on Arthur Place on Monday morning. The two were able to tranquilize the animal and free him from his confinement behind an Arthur Place home.  On a video released by the department, the officers can be seen assis…
Three Nabbed For Illegally Hunting Deer At Night In Area Three Nabbed For Illegally Hunting Deer At Night In Area
Three Nabbed For Illegally Hunting Deer At Night In Area Three men were arrested by state Environmental Conservation Police for illegal deer hunting. The men, all from Southbury, were arrested Monday with the assistance of Woodbury Police and the Connecticut State Police after receiving numerous complaints of illegal deer hunting after sunset near the Roxbury Airport, said the EnCon Police. A proactive Woodbury Police officer was conducting a patrol check of the area after midnight on Monday when they observed a vehicle traveling along Route 317 with the occupants actively shining the open grass fields, a prime deer habitat.  The officer suspect…
Venomous Snake Found In Hudson Valley Venomous Snake Found In Hudson Valley
Venomous Snake Found In Hudson Valley A Hudson Valley resident wasn't sure what type of snake he stumbled upon that was close to his home earlier this month. Concerned the snake might be venomous and a danger to his family, the resident of Woodstock in Ulster County called the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the ECO reported. ECO Officer Jason Smith met the man at his home and found the snake in a small rock pile next to the back door. He identified the snake as a northern copperhead, one of New York State's three venomous species, the department said. After coaxing the snake into a bucket, Smith released the s…