Squamish really comes alive in summer. Sure, we love our winters and can’t get enough of skiing, snowboarding, sledding and every other powder-filled activity; however it’s during the glorious, hot and sunny days of summer that we really shine.
Summer is when we get to host more outdoor festivals and sports competitions than you can shake a local volunteer at, and it’s when everyone can be found exploring and recreating in the trails and backcountry areas en masse.
It’s also when you realize that we’re not out there on our own.
Pretty much as soon as the weather turned nice we were reminded that we share this area with a whole bunch of furry critters.
In May, conservation officers dealt with an unusually aggressive bobcat that was attacking dogs in Alice Lake Provincial Park. More recently, people were warned to stay away from places like the Ray Peters trail and parts of the Cheekye Fan because a grizzly bear had been spotted in the area. And this past Sunday, July 14, saw a black bear try to snatch an on-leash dog in Valleycliffe. The hapless pooch survived the dog-napping attempt, however a second black bear wasn’t so lucky, and had to be destroyed by conservation officers in recent weeks after it became too accustomed to human food while scrounging around Alice Lake.
Nobody wants to see an animal put down, especially conservation officers, however sometimes it has to be done if an animal is a repeat offender and has become too habituated to unnatural food sources.
I’m sure you all manage your wildlife attractants at home, but now is a good time to remember that we need to be a little more thoughtful while we’re out there enjoying the great outdoors. Keep yourself informed. Check the Squamish Chief or our website for updates on recent wildlife encounters and areas you should avoid. And if you love your own little furry critter, then keep your dogs on-leash and close by when out on the trails. It is safer for your animals, and minimizes the potential for wildlife conflict. Basically, just be aware we’re sharing that backcountry and need to respect our furry neighbours, because everyone should be able to enjoy the glorious summer this year –Squamoleans, furry critters and conservation officers alike.
