Typically, one thing about winter in the Bow Valley is that wildlife news on these pages tapers off somewhat during the snow season.
That’s not been the case lately, though, what with news of wolves being killed on Highway 93, skiers with off-leash dogs causing concern in Kananaskis Country, a Bow Valley Parkway travel ban being set back and a second elk struck by a vehicle in Canmore dying.
The common thread through these issues is that, unlike the wildlife in question, we humans are demonstrating that we simply cannot tread lightly on the earth in our valley.
Rather than being aware and on the lookout for our wildlife and taking steps to avoid confrontations and unnecessary deaths, we as humans willingly and unthinkingly blunder about, causing damage wherever we go.
This is particularly the case with the selfish owners of off-leash dogs; an on-going problem throughout the valley. In the Black Prince area of K-Country (see page 13) backcountry skiers are entering an area which is closed because a female grizzly is denning.
These selfish skiers, who clearly think themselves above following rules and regulations, are skiing past closure signs and thereby threatening a grizzly sow with three cubs. Worse yet, they’re taking their off-leash dogs with them, which could cause further grief for the female and her offspring.
Hey, bears in this area have a tough enough time surviving as it is – we don’t need skiers who believe themselves above the law in the area causing problems. With bear numbers dwindling, every cub a sow can produce is critically important.
The message – ski somewhere else and leave your dogs at home. More people need to realize that the backcountry is simply not the place for dogs, unless they’re of the coyote or wolf persuasion.
We have off-leash dog areas in this valley for a reason.
Then again, the issue of drivers in their vehicles killing our wildlife also never lets up. Last week, a pair of wolves, which are also dwindling in numbers, were killed on Highway 93 and the Trans-Canada (page 23).
Bears, wolves, deer, elk, moose; all are being struck and killed with alarming regularity throughout the valley and the mountain parks.
Yes, much of this area features wildlife fencing, but it’s not infallible or indestructible – one fallen tree can create a passage onto the highway.
These drivers and skiers are prime examples of why a voluntary travel restriction on a section of Highway 1A in Banff (page 5) will continue to have little effect on reducing road kills – because people don’t care.
Drivers being human, they’ll continue to drive the 1A between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.; with no thought to the wildlife in the area.
Delaying a mandatory road closure to 2014 only delays the dispute between conservationists and the business sector as to which way a scale tips – toward wildlife protection or toward business and tourism protection.
Short of having bear guardians, Parks staff or cops actually stopping drivers on the 1A to deliver an in-person educational message as to the wildlife that could be encountered on Bow Valley Parkway, a voluntary restriction will continue to have no effect.
Until everyone realizes they need to share this area with wildlife, self-important humans will continue causing all manner of problems in the mountains they want to experience.
