By Liz Thunstrom
Had you ever thought that in the TriCities, you are living in an active wildlife area? Wildlife, from hummingbirds to bears, have always frequented this area and found it as attractive to their needs as we have. Now with human development spreading ever further into and adjacent to natural areas, wildlife can more easily access available human food sources.
It is important for people choosing to live here to know that they must do their part to keep wildlife wild, so that birds and mammals don’t develop an appetite for non-natural food or lose their fear of humans.
Animals quickly become habituated to human scent and presence but if they feel cornered or frightened, they can – and will – quickly become aggressive.
Photo: City of Coquitlam Facebook post
Non-natural foods can cause malnutrition in wildlife, but worse, it develops a dependency, so they become little more than beggars, as people happily crowd in close to take photos.
Last week, on a rainy morning walk at Como Lake, I watched a mid-sized mallard duckling going up to walkers, even those with dogs; the mother duck was nearby but the duckling did not respond to her calls. People have been scattering food on the trail – usually breadcrumbs – and the young birds have grown up this spring with easy pickings. The lack of fear the duckling displayed was putting it in great danger from accidentally being stepped on or bitten by a leashed dog or even picked up and handled. It was sad to see, but once animals become habituated, it is forever.
Last year at Como Lake, I saw a young coyote attracted to a pile of hamburger buns placed near the parking lot. As the animal ate, it was surrounded by a ring of eager photographers.
Even those of us with bird feeders need to remember to take them down when natural wild food sources become available in spring, so that they do not attract unwanted visitors like rats or even bears.
It is exciting to have close encounters with wild creatures, but it must never happen at their expense.
Look, enjoy, be respectful, keep your distance, and move on. It is their home too.
NOTE: There are laws and regulations prohibiting the deliberate feeding of wildlife both in BC and in the TriCities. Feeding dangerous wildlife, including bears, is illegal in BC under Sections 33.1 and 88.1 of BC’s Wildlife Protection Act. Bylaws in Coquitlam, for example, forbid feeding of wildlife in all parks, and residents can receive fines up to $500 for not managing wildlife attractants appropriately on their property. There is more information on each municipality’s website.