Wildlife is wide awake, out and about and looking for food as winter – finally – thaws and gives way to spring and summer.
But just as bears wake from their slumber and elk calving takes place, so too have visitors descended on the Bow Valley and region.
The annual attempts to get a perfect photo of a grizzly or an elk have started in earnest, bringing frustrations to many but none more than the wildlife themselves.
As some people choose to pester and search for wildlife to get photos, the attempts can cause high amounts of harm and stress to wildlife and show the irresponsibility of humans who choose to do so.
The dangers of humans and wildlife coming into close contact have already been seen early into spring.
In Kananaskis Country, a black bear bluff charged a cyclist on May 16 and the next day an aggressive moose charged a person walking their dog in the area of Kananaskis Country’s West Bragg Creek day-use area.
Each year, however, there are countless examples in both the provincial and national parks of the region of people coming too close to wildlife.
Despite the majority of human-wildlife interactions involving visitors to the region, residents aren’t immune and need to be equally responsible.
It’s easy to blame visitors, but most locals have likely seen residents getting too close themselves or walking with a dog off-leash.
When out in the region, bear spray should become a necessity for all people. Equally important is maintaining a safe distance from wildlife at all times and checking for area wildlife warnings.
With more than four million people annually visiting each of Kananaskis Country and Banff National Park and growth to continue in all area communities, the emphasis and importance on individuals respecting human-wildlife interactions becomes all the more important.
No matter how many policies are created, warnings given, education provided and signage installed, it’s everyone’s role to minimize such interactions.
