Smith History – 17 Wildlife by Superintendent Alex Sparrow

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WILD LIFE IN CRATER LAKE

by Alex Sparrow

Superintendent, Crater National Park, 1921

Of all the animals in Crater Lake Park, the bear are the best known, owing to their friendly disposition, which is encouraged by permitting them to feed on the garbage near the camps.  In only one instance has a bear had courage enough to be troublesome, and he was killed because he had broken into several buildings at Government Camp (present day Park Headquarters) when food at the dump was scarce; but there is not a case on record of campers being disturbed by them.

An occasional cougar has been seen; but constant warfare is waged against these marauders.  Dogs must be used to hunt them, as it would be an accident to find one in any other way.

Coyotes are often heard but seldom seen.  It would be hard to estimate the destruction of birds and small mammals traceable to these cowardly pests, and every effort is being made to exterminate them by fair means or foul.

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