For visitors embracing everything we have here in the Bow Valley this long weekend, and our own citizens as well, let’s get the busy summer season started off on the right foot, wildlife-wise.
By wildlife-wise, we actually mean wise. And there’s no better time for a word of caution than just ahead of the Victoria Day long weekend; the unofficial launch of summer across our great dominion.
If everyone would refrain from feeding wildlife and stop speeding madly through the area on your way to or from wherever, it would help a lot in keeping the critters we share the region with safe. That includes keeping dogs on a leash in most areas of the Valley.
You see, for those outside the Valley, the possibility of a wildlife sighting is a major draw that could provide a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity or lasting memory.
For those who live here, though, wildlife is part of our environment and we’ve become quite fond of our grizzly and black bears, elk, deer and moose and the rest of the wide, varied assortment of toothy, feathered and furred fauna in the area.
Everyone, including valley residents, is thrilled by spotting a bear – we’re much less thrilled in seeing or hearing of a bear’s grim demise in a vehicle’s grill. Everyone, including valley residents, would like to get up close and personal with an iconic animal like a grizzly – but in doing so to illegally feed one or approach too closely for a photo, you can be habituating wildlife to the demands of humans, which generally ends badly for the wildlife in question.
Too often, a fed animal ends up being a dead animal. Familiarity or loss of caution around cars and humans can result in wildlife being killed by a vehicle, or its destruction at the hands of wildlife managers when said wildlife becomes a problem in approaching other humans.
Last year (front page), there were numerous occasions where people were feeding wildlife and many animals were killed by vehicles on our highways and byways.
Further, for those new to our valley, or dropping in for a visit, please understand that bears are now out of their winter dens and can be found anywhere in the Valley.
Anywhere.
While bears are mostly backcountry residents, they can also appear within our town boundaries, on golf courses, on hiking and biking trails, along creeks and rivers, in dandelion patches, on a sunny slope, digging up anthills…
Those in the know arm themselves with bear spray, bangers or other noisemakers and take care to announce their movements in bear territory and often travel in groups.
And so there is no confusion, bear territory is this entire territory.
For information on living with bears, cougars, elk, etc., visit www.wildsmart.ca
Please keep in mind as well that there are off-leash dog areas in both Banff and Canmore, there are booze bans in the national parks (page 14), trail closures can occur at any time due to wildlife movement and must be respected, elk are calving and protective females can be dangerous if approached and police and bylaw officers will be on patrol.
We’re not saying don’t have fun in the Valley, we’re just asking that you respect our home.
