Last week, the B.C. Conservation Foundation rolled out a new program that officials vowed would keep British Columbia's wildlife wild. WildSafe B.C., an extension of the concept that gave rise to Bear Aware, aims to minimize the number of potentially dangerous human encounters by educating the public through a new mapping system called the Wildlife Alert and Reporting Program. The program will display a summary of weekly wildlife challenges and will allow citizens to report incidents as they happen.
Almost as if on cue, Squamish-area critters appear to have read about the new program and responded by reminding us that bears and cougars aren't the only wild animals we need to be concerned about.
Last week, two pet cats from Garibaldi Highlands went missing and are presumed to have been taken out - consumed, that is - by coyotes that were sighted in the area around the same time. Then, on Tuesday (June 4), authorities closed the Coho Park trail network near Garibaldi Estates after at least two dog owners out walking with their pets encountered a bobcat in the woods.
Squamish, which in 2010 became only the second B.C. community to be officially declared Bear Aware, may well be ahead of the curve in many ways, but has ample reason to avoid becoming complacent. In 2012 alone, 22 bears died in the Squamish area alone -12 at the hand of conservation officers after the bears had become habituated to human food and were deemed threats to public safety. An alarming 10 were also killed in collisions with vehicles (including the mother and two siblings of a yearling, Noah, that was taken to a Langley animal-rehab facility after being orphaned).
Certainly a poor berry crop can contribute to those sorts of numbers, but conservation officers and Meg Toom, whose title is now Squamish WildSafe B.C. Coordinator, say there's a lot Squamoleans can do to help prevent human-wildlife conflicts. Those include properly managing attractants including garbage, birdfeeders, pet food and even outdoor barbecues.
There are certainly other threats to public safety and enjoyment of our surroundings, as in 2012 illegal campers caused problems and rowdies required a "zero-tolerance" approach toward unruly behaviour to be implemented near Cat Lake. But citizens around these parts can start the summer of 2013 on the right foot by resolving to do our part to minimize close encounters of the wild animal kind.
- David Burke
It was a bad year for bears, says Meg Toom.
On Tuesday, Jan. 22, the Squamish Bear Aware community coordinator gave the rundown of last year's wildlife activity to the District of Squamish's committee of the whole.
"Twenty-two bears within our area had died in 2012," Toom said.
The majority - 12 black bears - were shot by conservation officers after becoming reliant on garbage and accustomed to human interactions. Officers relocated seven bears and one bear was found dead, most likely from items it consumed at the Squamish landfill, Toom said.
Nine bears were killed in motor vehicle accidents. Highway 99, between Cleveland Avenue and Depot Road is a big concern, she said. The area seems to be a throughway for wildlife, yet the highway's traffic is continually increasing and that portion of the road is not well lit.
Squamish now has elk in the region, adding to vehicle safety concerns, Toom said. A bull can weigh up to approximately 1,100 pounds, she noted. Last year, two elk were killed on the highway near Squamish's downtown core, including a pregnant cow, which was hit and killed adjacent to the Squamish Adventure Centre, Toom said.
The elks' presence creates a challenging situation, conservation officer Simon Gravel told council.
"We are for sure forecasting that kind of problem," he said.
From 2009 to 2011, Squamish held the top spot for number of cougar sightings. Last year, it fell to second place behind Saanich. Three cougars were destroyed in Squamish, Toom said.
The community's expansion into cougar habitat, such as Crumpit Woods, may be part of the reason for Squamish's high level of sightings, she said. People are also more aware that they should call the wildlife hot line, Toom noted.
"Certainly we are seeing an increase for sure," she said of the big cats.
