Robson Valley, BC – May 2000
Well, along comes May and with it respite from the clutches of winter. Already the trees are budding; the grass is taking on a greener hue, and everywhere are the signs of spring in full throttle taking hold.
One of the best things to do this time of year, if you’re interested in seeing wildlife, is to simply do a drive down the valley. Everywhere there are groups of up to fifteen (sometimes even more) whitetail and mule deer. Of course, with spring the resident hawks are out, too, and every farmer’s field has its regal feathered patrolman perched like a sentry on a leaning fence post.
If you’re interested in seeing bears, they’re starting to come out, too – just the other day I was driving along the highway and spotted a sleek black sow with her two cubs. The local bears are generally always the smaller, less rugged black bears, although (confusingly enough) they aren’t always black, and may range from a reddish cinnamon to a dark brown to, of course, jet black.
While we’re on the topic of wildlife – and especially bears – it would probably be wise to brief all you would-be travellers on some major safety issues concerning these incredible, beautiful animals. Every year parks officials or game wardens destroy bears because they have become problem animals, ranging just a little too close to their human neighbours for comfort. Why do they do this? Quite simply, because these human neighbours let them.
There are lots of ways to attract a bear’s attention and believe me, a bear’s attention is NOT something you want to attract! Some very simple, basic rules for preventing potentially dangerous run-ins with bears (and other wildlife) include:
If you follow these simple rules, you are well on your way to enjoying a safe, happy visit to our incredible area. A good idea is to stop in at one of the local infocentres (located at McBride, Valemount and Mount Robson) and pick up a few brochures on wildlife safety tips – including what to do in case something DOES happen.
Of course, while you’re there, you can also grab materials on just about everything else that there is to see and do around here…so use your chance and stock up your itinerary!
Happy (and safe!) travelling!
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