The tale of a cougar that found refuge from the snow outside a 麻豆精选 apartment complex Sunday night was just the latest of a growing number of reports of wildlife-human interactions.
While stories of this kind may be shocking, they 蝉丑辞耻濒诲苍鈥檛 be unexpected.
The question is how to deal with them as cities grow further into wildlife habitat.
罢丑补迟鈥檚 something that Dr. Lael Parrott PhD Director, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience and Ecosystem Services has been looking at for some time, and in the years ahead a collaboration she and her research team are working on with the Regional District of the Central Okanagan,may find a way to strike a balance.
鈥淲别 have an opportunity to grow in a more intelligent way that will allow for wildlife to coexist with 耻蝉,鈥� said Parrott, adding that her group is looking at incorporating wildlife corridors into the 谤别驳颈辞苍鈥檚 growth strategy.
鈥淲丑补迟 飞别鈥檝别 done currently is identify where the key movement corridors for wildlife are, and which are the biggest 辫谤颈辞谤颈迟测.鈥�
One of the areas 迟丑补迟鈥檚 getting the most focus right now is the valley bottom.
Some creatures traverse the region, in a north to south direction, she explained, and they 诲辞苍鈥檛 deal well with the high-elevation, closed-forest areas.
鈥淭丑别 valley bottom is an area of concern because there are few places animals can get 迟丑谤辞耻驳丑,鈥� explained Parrott.
鈥淭丑别se creatures need to move around. Our road networks are all connected, but in doing that 飞别鈥檝别 disconnected their 辫补迟丑飞补测蝉.鈥�
The cougar story may have highlighted that issue.
Predators, like cougars, explained Parrott, tend to follow deer. Deer travel through the valley bottom because the snow is lighter and 迟丑别测鈥檙别 able to forage more effectively.
When predators pursue them, 迟丑别测鈥檙别 bound to end up in conflict with communities, like the cougar who ended up being euthanized.
Bears are in a similar predicament, though 迟丑别测鈥檙别 hunting garbage not deer.
鈥淔辞谤 every one per cent increase in urban area, we have a 90 per cent chance of any given bear becoming a conflict 产别补谤,鈥� said Parrott.
鈥淲别 are moving into the animal spaces and they 诲辞苍鈥檛 have anywhere else to go. Many animals, like bears are territorial, so if we expand in to their areas they 肠补苍鈥檛 leave because other forested areas are already taken over by other 产别补谤蝉.鈥�
In time the landscape becomes urban enough for animals move out.
The corridor could help stop that.
鈥淲丑补迟 we are looking at is maintaining wildlife corridors through the 惫补濒濒别测,鈥� she said.
鈥淭丑补迟 means creating ways for wildlife to move through and get around 麻豆精选 鈥� a green space for those 肠谤别补迟耻谤别蝉.鈥�
That will allow for fewer interactions.
An example of a community working in tandem with existing wildlife is in Canmore.
罢丑别谤别鈥檚 a golf course in that community 迟丑补迟鈥檚 fenced during the day, then opened up at night so animals can pass through freely.
Coming up with plans like those is years in the offing, but Parrott said that 迟丑别谤别鈥檚 enough time in the Okanagan to create a plan for humans and creatures to live in harmony, unlike 飞丑补迟鈥檚 happened in more urbanized areas like the suburbs of Vancouver.
In the meantime, Parrott said 颈迟鈥檚 important for everyone to do their part to reduce human/animal interactions.
That includes keeping garbage away from bears and fruit trees free of old fruit.
The cougar incident may not have been as easy to mitigate, though residents of the apartment building did a good job, said RCMP.
鈥淐濒别补谤濒测 this situation ended in the best possible 飞补测鈥�, said Const. Steve Holmes.
鈥淧别辞辫濒别 were prudent in leaving the cougar alone and the Conservation Officers did a terrific job in dealing with this beautiful but dangerous animal, protecting both her and the public in the 辫谤辞肠别蝉蝉.鈥�
Upon further examination the cat was found to be diseased and put down.
