9th Annual Royal Roads Alumni Homecoming Weekend – Details Here
Karen Inkster hs been busy with other RRC assignments over the past number of days. In place of her usual e-Veritas article, E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC 2003) has a little teaser for all you former “roadents”.
In 1990, the Royal Roads Military College offered a suitable home on College grounds to an animal that had been previously kept in a pen at Beacon Hill Park. The Parks Department and the SPCA were looking for a suitable sanctuary for this animal which had no experience foraging for food.
a) a pot-bellied pig
b) an emu
c) a coastal blacktail doe
d) a horse
e) a blue Indian peacock
Photo of a coastal blacktail deer (not taken at RRMC).
Answer: c) A coastal blacktail doe was moved to Royal Roads Military College grounds in April 1990 to join others running free. source
The Parks Department and the SPCA were looking for a suitable sanctuary for the remaining doe. It was no longer desirable to keep deer in Beacon Hill Park. Royal Roads Military College offered the doe a home. Having only lived in the Park deer pens, she had no experience foraging for food, but Doug Janz, Environment Ministry regional wildlife biologist, said: I think it would definitely be a good idea to release her. It’s pretty well protected there and I wouldn’t anticipate any antagonistic behaviour with the other deer. She would probably follow the other deer around and they will know the choice eating spots. (Times Colonist, February 8, 1990, B 1) In March, the Parks and Recreation Commission accepted the Military College offer and in April, the Park’s last deer was successfully moved. Within eight minutes of being hit by a tranquillizer dart, she lay down and was carried to the SPCA van; once on the grass at Royal Roads, the doe was soon on her f eet. (Times Colonist, April 5, 1990, B 9)