There have been recent reports about bears and coyotes in the urban areas of Maple Ridge, and Maple Ridge City Hall is reminding residents of their role in keeping neighbourhoods, pets, and the wildlife safe.<\/p>\n
Wildlife sightings are a normal part of living in our community, but animals can be drawn into neighbourhoods when food is easy to find.<\/p>\n
For example, over the past two weeks there have been frequent sightings of a coyote in Reg Franklin Park, which is near Eric Langton Elementary School. The coyote shows little fear of people, appears in broad daylight, and does not retreat far when residents try to scare it away. People have found beef bones on the ground at the north end of the park.<\/p>\n
From September through November, young coyotes may leave their family groups to establish new territory. This normal seasonal behaviour can result in more sightings in parks, school areas and neighbourhoods. Coyotes are most active around dawn and dusk but may be seen at any time of day.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaple Ridge is on nature\u2019s doorstep, and wildlife sightings are part of living here,\u201d said Michelle Adams, director of bylaw, licensing and community safety. \u201cRecent bear and coyote activity is a reminder that we all have a role in preventing conflict. Securing food sources, keeping pets close and giving wildlife space are some of the most effective things residents can do to protect themselves, their neighbours and local wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garbage, compost, pet food, bird feeders, fallen fruit and unclean barbecues can attract bears, coyotes and other wildlife. Removing these attractants is one of the most effective ways to prevent wildlife from returning to residential areas.<\/p>\n
Coyotes generally avoid people, and encounters with people are uncommon. Residents can help keep coyotes wary of people by:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Never feeding coyotes or leaving food outdoors.
\u2022 Keeping dogs on a leash and avoiding retractable or extension leashes.
\u2022 Supervising small pets outdoors and keeping them indoors at night where possible.
\u2022 Keeping a safe distance if you see a coyote.
\u2022 Walking in groups where possible, particularly at dawn and dusk.<\/p>\n
If a coyote approaches you or acts bold, make yourself look large, use a firm voice and slowly back away. Do not run. If you are walking a dog, keep it close and leave the area calmly.<\/p>\n
In the fall, bears prepare for hibernation by entering a period of increased feeding known as hyperphagia. They may travel farther and spend more time searching for high-calorie food, including in residential areas where attractants are available.<\/p>\n
To help keep bears, coyotes, other wildlife and residents safe, the city recommends:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Store garbage in a wildlife-resistant container or secure building. Place garbage carts out no earlier than 5:00 a.m. and remove them by 7:00 p.m. on collection day.
\u2022 Remove bird feeders: Consider taking bird feeders down until winter.
\u2022 Manage compost properly: Use bear-resistant composters and do not add meat, fish or cooked food scraps. Freeze smelly garbage until collection day.
\u2022 Clean BBQs: Clean food residue and grease from barbecues after each use.
\u2022 Feed pets indoors: Do not leave pet food outside.
\u2022 Pick fruit promptly: Pick ripe fruit from trees and vines as soon as possible.
\u2022 Protect small livestock: Use appropriate fencing to protect beehives, chicken coops and other small livestock.
\u2022 Reduce denning opportunities: Secure access to spaces under decks, sheds and other structures where wildlife may seek shelter.<\/p>\n
If you encounter a bear<\/p>\n
\u2022 Stay calm and do not run.
\u2022 Back away slowly while speaking in a calm voice.
\u2022 Give the bear plenty of space and a clear way to leave the area.
\u2022 Keep pets leashed and close to you, especially in the early morning and evening.<\/p>\n
Residents should report wildlife-human interactions where there is a public-safety concern, including aggressive or unusually bold wildlife, to the BC Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP).<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s Wildlife and Vector Control Bylaw<\/a> aims to reduce human-wildlife interactions and ensure wildlife protection and public safety. Those found contravening this bylaw can be issued daily fines ranging from $100 to $500.\u202f<\/p>\n For more information on bear safety and to access additional resources, visit wildsafebc.com<\/a> or contact mrwildsafebc@gmail.com. Report concerns related to garbage or wildlife attractants at MapleRidge.ca\/Report<\/a> or contact the City\u2019s Bylaw, Licensing and Community Safety\u202fteam at 604-467-7305 or bylaws@mapleridge.ca.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There have been recent reports about bears and coyotes in the urban areas of Maple Ridge, and Maple…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":955641,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[49,48,66,323],"class_list":["post-955640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wildlife","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-science","tag-wildlife"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/955640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=955640"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/955640\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/955641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=955640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=955640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=955640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}